FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE	CONTACT: Lauren Horwood
October 7, 2011	PHONE: (916) 554-2706
www.usdoj.gov/usao/cae	usacae.edcapress@usdoj.gov
Docket #: 1:11CR-00105-LJO

FRESNO, Calif. — United States Attorney Benjamin B. Wagner announced that today John Paul Martinez, 21, of Visalia, pleaded guilty to conspiring to manufacture and pass counterfeit currency.

According to court documents, Martinez conspired with others between October 2010 and February 2011 to make and pass counterfeit money at local businesses in Tulare County. Martinez and others printed $100 bills and then took the counterfeit money to local retail businesses and used it to purchase goods. Martinez received genuine currency as change from making the purchases and kept both the genuine currency and the purchased goods for himself. The loss to local businesses is alleged to be more than $17,000.

Sentencing is scheduled for December 16, 2011 before United States District Judge Lawrence J. O'Neill. Martinez faces a maximum sentence of five years in prison, a $250,000 fine and up to three years supervised release following incarceration. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.

The case is the product of an investigation by the United States Secret Service and the Visalia Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Michele Thielhorn is prosecuting the case.

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