Three Men Sentenced For Counterfeiting

United States Attorney Brendan V. Johnson announced that three men who were indicted by a federal grand jury on September 17, 2013, for Passing and Making Counterfeit United States Currency have been sentenced. 

Zane Blake Goodbeau, age 59, of Kimball, South Dakota, was indicted on the charge of Making Counterfeit United States Currency. He pled guilty to the charge on January 9, 2014.  He was sentenced on March 31, 2014, to 17.5 months in custody, to be served concurrent to his state court sentence.

John Patrick Laubach, age 42, of Kimball, was indicted for Passing and Making Counterfeit United States Currency.  He pled guilty to the charge, and was sentenced on April 7, 2014, to 9 months in custody.

Chaz Thomas Stewart, age 20, of Yorba Linda, California, was indicted on the charges of Passing, Possessing and Making Counterfeit United States Currency. Stewart pled guilty to Possessing Counterfeit United States Currency on January 29, 2014, and was sentenced on April 21, 2014.  Stewart was sentenced to 2 months in custody, to be served concurrent to his state sentence.

All three defendants were also ordered to repay $360 in restitution to the victims, and they were all remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.

In August of 2013, Laubach and Goodbeau made counterfeit currency using printing materials they kept in a camper at Kimball, and then distributed it to various businesses in the Chamberlain and Kimball areas.  During that same time, Stewart possessed a $50 Federal Reserve note that he knew was counterfeit and he tried to pass the bill at an area restaurant.

The investigation was conducted by the Chamberlain Police Department and the U.S. Secret Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey C. Clapper prosecuted the case.