6 arrested in Punta Gorda counterfeit cash investigation

Six people were arrested Monday in connection with a counterfeit investigation, the Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office said.

The following people are facing several charges for making thousands of dollars of counterfeit cash:

• Spencer Parr, 40, is facing charges of forging bank bills, checks, drafts, or promissory notes, possessing 10 or more counterfeit notes and making or possessing instruments for forging bills
• Andrea Maher, 37, is facing charges of forging bank bills, checks, drafts, or promissory notes, possessing 10 or more counterfeit notes and making or possessing instruments for forging bills
• Daniel Shirley, 25, is facing charges of forging bank bills, checks, drafts, or promissory notes
• Sheena (Curry) McCurdy, 33, is dacing charges of possessing 10 or more counterfeit notes and uttering forged bills, checks, drafts, or notes
• Kenneth McCurdy, 34, faces a charge of possessing 10 or more counterfeit notes
• Sheena Fromholz, 35, is facing charges of forging bank bills, checks, drafts, or promissory notes, possessing 10 or more counterfeit notes and making or possessing instruments for forging bills, Possession of weapon by a convicted felon, and violation of probation

“Well I think it’s just too bad that you come to a town like this and you make people nervous and suspicious,” said Cheryl Twombly.

There are $7,000 in counterfeit bills are now off the streets of Punta Gorda.

A nine-month long investigation is coming to an end, but some of the fake money already spent is still circulating.

“I mean it falls prey on people here because people are always in a hurry here and when Money reaches their hands it ends up in their pockets,” said Punta Gorda resident Howard Denardo.

The suspects are accused of spending fake cash on gift cards at Walgreens, CVS and Publix stores.

The Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office is reminding people of a way to identify counterfeit money — like the pen test.

“Where the pen is written across the face of the bill, and if there is a brown response then there is question to it’s integrity,” said sheriff’s office detective Paul Guyton.

The suspects are accused of making counterfeit $5, $10 and $20 bills. Investigators also found scanners, printers and ink used to make the fake cash.