Three arrested for depositing counterfeit money in Highlands County

A combined investigation between the Secret Service and Highlands County Sheriff’s Office lead to the arrest of 3 for counterfeit money.

According to HCSO, the investigation began on Dec. 3 when a deputy was called to a bank about $2,000 in fake $100 bills being deposited through an ATM.

The bank identified, Sarah Brinkman, 25, as the one to make the deposits.

When Brinkman was located by deputies, she was with Joshoa Baird, 26, who said the bills were from a payment for a tree service job and that neither of them had looked inside the envelope before making the deposit.

However, secuity footage from the day of the deposit show another man was present during the transaction, and detectives believed he was the one who provided the phony bills for the deposit, because Brinkman had a bank account, which at the time only ha 10 cents in it.

An arrest warrant was obtained for Brinkman, as was a search warrant for her home. When the warrants were served on Dec. 11, Brinkman was arrested, as was Baird after he admitted his involvement. They also admitted they got the money from William Alston Clarke II, 35, of Sebring. Detectives were very familiar with Clarke since he is on probation for 2017 fraud conviction and is also awaiting trial on more than 20 counts of fraud as well as drug possession charges.

As deputies were executing a search warrant of Clarke’s home, he refused to open the door, forcing the deputies to barge their way in.

Once inside, they found seven more of the same counterfeit $100 bills as well as some marijuana. Clarke was arrested, but refused to say where he got the counterfeit bills.

Brinkman and Baird were both charged with 20 counts of fraud/uttering a false bank bill or note, defrauding a financial institution, grand theft, possession of 10 or more forged bills/notes.

Clarke was charged with 20 counts of fraud/uttering a false bank bill or note, 7 counts of possession of a counterfeit bank bill or note, defrauding a financial institution, grand theft, possession of 10 or more forged bills/notes, obstructing the execution of a search warrant, possession of marijuana, possession of drug equipment and violation of probation.