Suspected counterfeiters arrested after toilet gets clogged with fake bills
PUEBLO,
Colo. JAN 2006 — Two people suspected of counterfeiting money spent at
least a week relieving themselves in plastic shopping bags because the
plumbing stopped working in their apartment when they flushed wads of
suspected fake cash down the toilet, authorities said.
Selina Jean
Valdez, 28, was arrested Thursday on a warrant for forgery, possession
of forgery instruments and criminal mischief. Her suspected partner,
Daniel Marquez, 41, is wanted on the same charges.
The two are
suspected of running a low-tech counterfeiting operation, using a
combination printer-scanner-copier and a personal computer to make fake
$50 and $100 bills, detectives said.
Investigators said they think
Marquez and Valdez flushed wads of the counterfeit money down the
toilet on Dec. 26 when detectives tried to question them. The rental
duplex where Valdez and Marquez were staying was discovered flooded
with sewage Thursday when police executed a search warrant.
Detective
Shane Pope said police believe the fake money was widely circulated
among the couple’s acquaintances, who spent it at local businesses.
Investigators plan to compare the serial numbers on bills seized
Thursday to those taken by police after being spent at businesses.