NEWS

Minor charges brought in counterfeiting case

Todd Hill
Reporter
Keair I. Key

BUCYRUS — Counterfeiting currency is a federal crime, but the four Detroit residents arrested in Bucyrus over the weekend on charges of trying to pass counterfeit bills are not facing federal charges, at least for the time being.

Keair I. Key, 25; Damon D. Blocker, 26; Destiny N. Thomas, 21; and Danielle Gaston, age unknown, were arraigned late Tuesday afternoon in Crawford County Municipal Court on a variety of charges, all misdemeanors.

One of the four, Key, is accused of trying to pass a counterfeit $100 bill at the Walmart on East Mansfield Street, or officially, complicity to commit theft, as well as receiving stolen property in the form of gift cards and falsification.

Damon D. Blocker

Blocker faces a charge of obstruction of justice, for allegedly attempting to hide Key once a Bucyrus police officer arrived on the scene around midnight Saturday. Blocker is also accused of receiving stolen property and complicity to commit theft.

Thomas and Gaston are both charged with falsification, receiving stolen property and complicity.

Danielle Gaston

The four are also suspects in counterfeit cases in several other Ohio cities, but the amount of illegal cash alleged to have changed hands statewide only amounts to about $5,000, and Ratliff said that hasn't been enough so far to interest the U.S. Secret Service in taking on the case, in which case the allegations could be elevated to felony charges. The Secret Service investigates a variety of financial crimes in the U.S., including counterfeiting.

"These alleged crimes go throughout the state. There are numerous receipts identifying them," Ratliff told Municipal Court Judge Shane Leuthold in recommending a bond of $100,000 for each of the defendants.

"If they return to Detroit, it's likely we will never see them again," Ratliff said.

Destiny N. Thomas

The judge followed Ratliff's recommendation in setting bond. "We don't take counterfeit money," he advised Gaston, who laughed. "If it turns out you had nothing to do with this and you were just along for the ride, we'll let you go back to Detroit."

Leuthold also advised the four defendants, who are being held in the Crawford County jail, to plead not guilty to the allegations, which all did.

"I believe there could be federal charges coming and you could implicate yourself if you plead guilty," he told each of them.

Ratliff said the two women were found in the vehicle that was pulled over as it left Walmart Saturday night, along with the two men and, it's alleged, several thousand dollars of both real and fake money as well as gift cards. The law director said the women gave authorities several bogus names and Social Security numbers as well.

The four suspects are also persons of interest in counterfeit cases in Bryan, in the northwest corner of the state; Moraine and Huber Heights, near Dayton; Whitehall, Westerville and Lewis Center in the Columbus area; and Upper Sandusky.

Ratliff said that although the federal government is presently not interested in pursuing these cases, an arresting officer in Whitehall is also a member of the Secret Service task force in Columbus, which might change things.

Also Tuesday in Municipal Court, Myles T. Duncan, 33, made an initial appearance on fifth-degree felony charges of trafficking in heroin as well as possessing the drug. Duncan, who identified himself as homeless when arrested last week, was pulled over during a traffic stop in Galion's Heise Park.

Leuthold set bond for Duncan at $150,000 bond. The charges relate to alleged crimes on Aug. 1 and Oct. 7, although Ratliff said the alleged trafficking may have occurred on other dates as well.

thill3@nncogannett.com

419-563-9225

Twitter: @ToddHillMNJ