Roseville Traffic Stop Leads to $350,000 in Counterfeit Money

A Roseville Police officer’s traffic stop and diligence led to the discovery of $350,000 in counterfeit bills, and a suspected counterfeit bill manufacturing operation.  The U.S. Secret Service responded to continue the investigation, and issued a criminal complaint against the defendant.

At 1:35 a.m. July 12, a Roseville Police Department officer stopped a vehicle with no license plates or registration displayed, in the area of Harding Boulevard and Douglas Boulevard. Officers searched the vehicle, finding burglar’s tools and other suspicious items, including several suspected counterfeit $100 bills. From their interviews and the items found in the car, the officers concluded that the two–a male driver and his female passenger–had come to Roseville to commit burglaries.  They arrested the two on suspicion of conspiracy and possessing burglar’s tools.  After they were booked and released, the officers found out that the male driver had given them a false name, had an outstanding felony Sacramento County arrest warrant and was on searchable probation.

The Roseville officers went to a home in Sacramento to rearrest the suspect on the Sacramento County warrant, and for giving them a false name.  With the help of the Sacramento Police Department, they conducted a probation search of the house and found stacks of counterfeit money, paper, printers, and other equipment consistent with a counterfeit bill-making operation.   Officers notified the U.S. Secret Service, and their agents responded to continue the investigation.

Roseville officers re-arrested the suspect, now identified as Bobby Louis Jones-Hanley, age 35 of Auburn, on suspicion of forgery, fraud, possession of stolen property and other related charges, and booked him into the Placer County Jail, where he is being held without bail.  Today the Secret Service’s investigation resulted in the filing of federal counterfeiting charges.

Roseville Police Chief Daniel Hahn said, “I always encourage our officers to be relentless problem solvers, and this case is a great example.  First our officer stopped a suspicious car in a commercial area in the middle of the night, and found burglar’s tools.  He probably protected some of our businesses from being burglarized.  Then when the officer found out later he’d been given a bogus name, he wasn’t content to wait–he followed the suspect all the way to Sacramento that very morning to hold him accountable, and ended up finding a major counterfeiting operation.”

Any further questions about the federal investigation and prosecution should be directed to PIO Lauren Horwood of the U.S. Attorney’s Office.