Trio of counterfeiters arrested trying to pass bad $100 bills in several Publix grocery stores
(Joel Gonzalez, Emmanuel Camacho Contreras Jr., Ronny Camacho Aleman, Image credit: IRCSO)
Three men were arrested after being accused of passing bad money at local Treasure Coast businesses in Florida which resulted in an alert on the vehicle they were driving in the Sebastian area. Red flags were first raised after the Sebastian Police Department received calls from Publix stores in Sebastian regarding men trying to pass counterfeit $100 bills at their stores, according to The Sebastian Daily.
The Indian River County Sheriff’s Office, Sebastian Police Department, and U.S. Secret Service coordinated the arrests, recovering dozens of counterfeit bills, Methamphetamine, and other paraphernalia.
This investigation is still ongoing, as it was discovered these subjects have possibly victimized more than 150 businesses throughout Florida, Texas, and Louisiana.
Those arrested have been identified and charged as follows:
Emmanuel Camacho Contreras Jr.
- Organized Scheme to Defraud
- Possession of Counterfeit Currency (three counts)
- Possession of Methamphetamine
- Total bond: $130,000
Contreras also has non-extraditable warrants out of Jacksonville, Florida and the State of Tennessee related to fraud.
Ronny Camacho Aleman
- Organized Scheme to Defraud
- Possession of Counterfeit Currency (three counts)
- Utter Forged or Counterfeit Bill
- Possession of Methamphetamine
- Total bond: $75,000
Joel Gonzalez
- Organized Scheme to Defraud
- Possession of Counterfeit Currency (three counts)
- Utter Forged or Counterfeit Bill (two counts)
- Possession of Methamphetamine
- Total bond: $90,000
Gonzalez posted his bond and was released on May 19.
If anyone has any information or believes their business may have been a victim of the above subjects, please call Det. Dennis McKenzie at (772) 978-6202.
(Source: IRCSO)
Posted by Richard Webster, Ace News Today / Follow Richard on Facebook and Twitter
