Secret Service agents arrest Ypsilanti man accused of possessing counterfeit bills
An Ypsilanti man was arrested today by the U.S. Secret Service after agents said they found counterfeit bills during a search of his home Tuesday, federal court records show.
Ryan Thompson was charged this morning in a criminal complaint with manufacturing and possessing counterfeit obligations and securities.
He is scheduled to appear this afternoon in federal court in Detroit, said Gina Balaya, a spokeswoman for the U.S. Attorney's office. Balaya did not have Thompson's age. It's unclear whether Thompson has an attorney.
According to an affidavit by U.S. Secret Service Special Agent Jason Burks, agents executed a search warrant at Thompson's home and found two scanners, counterfeit money in several locations and "cut up scraps of white paper bearing the images of counterfeit U.S. currency."
Records show the bust is part of an ongoing investigation. Secret Service officials had no immediate comment this morning.
It's unclear whether the case is related to the investigation into counterfeit $10 bills recently being passed in the area. One was passed Tuesday in Ypsilanti and two others were recently passed in Saline, authorities said.
Lee Higgins covers crime and courts for AnnArbor.com. He can be reached by phone at (734) 623-2527 and email at leehiggins@annarbor.com.
Comments
RJA
Thu, Aug 18, 2011 : 12:03 a.m.
I could use some of those bills, I haven't played my monopoly game in years (the game SORRY either)
free
Thu, Aug 18, 2011 : 12:32 a.m.
Play Life instead. That game has the really big bills.
djacks24
Wed, Aug 17, 2011 : 9:41 p.m.
"agents executed a search warrant at Thompson's home and found two scanners, counterfeit money in several locations and "cut up scraps of white paper bearing the images of counterfeit U.S. currency."" Scanners, white scraps of paper. Really? Looks like a real state of the art operation there. Might as well been trying to pass off monopoly money when getting clerks to accept it. Did anybody actually take his scanned printer paper as actual US currency? If they did, they need their eyes and fingers examined.
Bogie
Wed, Aug 17, 2011 : 8:43 p.m.
The government keeps printing money, why can't we? LOL!
clownfish
Thu, Aug 18, 2011 : 12:37 p.m.
"We" used to, before the dread Fed came along, before the dread govt took over regulation. Look at some actual history, see the results of unfettered private capital, I suggest starting with "The Exchange Artist", Americas first bank collapse. Then run for public office.
free
Thu, Aug 18, 2011 : 12:30 a.m.
The government is afraid people will start printing money that is worth more than theirs is.
Gorc
Wed, Aug 17, 2011 : 11 p.m.
Great comment....thanks for making me laugh.
Mark Hergott
Wed, Aug 17, 2011 : 8:19 p.m.
Ten dollar bills. Ryan Thompson faces charges that may result in decades in prison. For ten dollar bills. He ought to have made art with his scanner and computer, and tried to sell each piece for ten dollars.