Two charged in Sarasota with passing counterfeit bills

Two charged in Sarasota with passing counterfeit bills

SARASOTA -- Two men were charged Tuesday afternoon with passing counterfeit bills at a Sarasota Wal-Mart, according to the Sarasota County Sheriff's Office.

Loss prevention officers contacted detectives around 12:25 p.m. Tuesday to report a suspect later identified as Sebastian Medina, 30, passed $150 in counterfeit bills in the electronics department before attempting to pass another $100 at the front register, where it was declined. Management detained Medina until detectives arrived, the sheriff's office reported.

Investigation revealed Medina visited the store Sunday with Gustavo Mingo, 50. Deputies said surveillance video captured the duo passing counterfeit bills before leaving in a gray Nissan. Detectives ran the tag on the vehicle and tracked it to a rental car agency of Miami, according to the sheriff's office.

Tactical Unit deputies located the vehicle on U.S. 41, where they took Mingo into custody. Search warrants were later executed at the men's hotel room and in their vehicle where detectives seized an additional $4,000 in counterfeit bills as well as more than $13,000 in valid currency.

Medina and Mingo admitted to making more than 20 purchases at various locations in Sarasota, according to the release. They traveled to the United States from Argentina carrying $20,000 in counterfeit money.

The men are charged with three counts each of uttering a counterfeit bill and were held at Sarasota County jail without bond.

The investigation is ongoing.

This story was originally published May 4, 2016 at 6:08 PM with the headline "Two charged in Sarasota with passing counterfeit bills ."