On Thursday, February 21, 2019, the Oak Ridge Police Department arrested five suspects following a fraudulent transaction with the use of counterfeit money, the City of Oak Ridge said Monday, Feb. 25, 2019. (Photo courtesy City of Oak Ridge/ORPD)
On Thursday, February 21, the Oak Ridge Police Department arrested five suspects following a fraudulent transaction with the use of counterfeit money, the City of Oak Ridge said in a press release.
Officers were notified by a local business that suspected counterfeit bills had been used to pay for items in the store, the press release said. An employee of the business was able to provide a description of the vehicle driven by the suspects. The vehicle was spotted just minutes later, still in the immediate area near South Tulane Avenue, and an Oak Ridge Police Department officer initiated a traffic stop, the release said.
The suspects were found to be in possession of counterfeit money in denominations of $100s and $50s, the press release said. All five suspects were arrested and taken to the Anderson County Detention Facility in Clinton.
Charges filed against some of the suspects include criminal simulation, theft of property, criminal conspiracy, and/or criminal impersonation, in addition to other crimes, the press release said. The names of the suspects are listed below:
- Byron Alexander
- Marlon Guerrier
- Taahir Ahmed Hardeman
- Edward Hood
- Shantavious Patrick
The suspects are from the Atlanta area, and investigators recovered evidence leading them to believe the group visited other areas, including Knox County and Cleveland, Tennessee, where they may have also used counterfeit money, the press release said. Any law enforcement agency that believes these individuals may be connected to a crime in another jurisdiction can contact the ORPD Criminal Investigations Division at (865) 425-4399.
Other agencies participating in this investigation include the Seventh Judicial District Crime Task Force in Anderson County, Knox County Sheriff’s Office, and the U.S. Secret Service, the press release said.
More information will be added as it becomes available.
On Thursday, February 21, 2019, the Oak Ridge Police Department arrested five suspects following a fraudulent transaction with the use of counterfeit money, the City of Oak Ridge said Monday, Feb. 25, 2019. (Photo courtesy City of Oak Ridge/ORPD)
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