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U.S. Secret Service launches federal investigation after Portland Police arrest counterfeiter passing bills in Parkrose Counterfeiters working the Mid-county area get nabbed . . .twice Sean P. Nelson THE MID-COUNTY MEMO Joshua Allen Ferguson, 22, came to the Venture Inn, located on 13900 Northeast Sandy Blvd. on July 20 and gave a $100 counterfeit bill to bartender Melinda McGhee, according to Venture Inn owner Karl Kunberger. McGhee looked at the bill and drew a line across it with a special yellow marking pen, which normally remains yellow unless the money is phony. If the bill were bad, it would turn black. However, this bill went nearly undetected because it had passed the initial test with the marker, and until Kunberger came in on the 21st, counted the money and deposited at his bank. Kunberger said a bank machine determined the 1988 series bill was counterfeit. McGhee had an idea of who might have passed the bill, but could only use security camera information to narrow it down to 3 or 4 people. When Ferguson returned on July 24 at 5 p.m., McGhee said she believed he was the suspect. She checked his identification, wrote the information down and called 911. He didnt try to pass any money across the counter but played the video poker machines. Portland Police didnt show up for 20 minutes and by that time he had already left, Kunberger said. According to Kunberger, when Portland Police Officer R. L. Jackson showed up and ran Fergusons license plate and identification information to see if he had a criminal record, the officer was incredulous when he found Ferguson had been arrested July 22 for counterfeiting, but released because he didnt have a phony bill on him at the time. On the basis of that previous arrest, police obtained a search warrant and searched Fergusons residence at 16620 South Archer Drive in Oregon City. When they went in, they found three copiers and thousands of dollars in counterfeit money, Kunberger said. Ferguson was arrested, but Portland Police Public Information Officer Sgt. Brian Schmautz would not comment further on the case as it has now become part of a federal investigation. Resident Agent Ron Wampole of the Portland office of the U.S. Secret Service also refused to comment citing the ongoing investigation. He did give permission for the Memo to use what details we already had but would not elaborate further. In addition to protecting individuals such as the President, the U.S. Secret Service was founded in 1865 to combat counterfeiting and investigate crimes against the U.S. Treasury Department. The Portland office is located at 1001 Southwest 5th Avenue. |
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