FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT
AUSA VICKIE E. LEDUC or
MARCIA MURPHY at 410-209-4885
October 29, 2010
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
PRINCE GEORGE’S COUNTY COUNTERFEITER PLEADS GUILTY
Counterfeiting Operation Discovered During the Execution of an Eviction Order
Greenbelt, Maryland - Shango Taylor, age 33, of Forestville, Maryland, pleaded guilty today to counterfeiting U.S. currency.
The guilty plea was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein; Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey Irvine of the United States Secret Service – Washington Field Office; and Prince George’s County Sheriff Michael Jackson.
According to Taylor’s plea agreement, on August 7, 2008, Prince George’s County Sheriff’s deputies were executing an eviction order at Taylor’s residence when they saw in the apartment what they believed to be a counterfeit currency manufacturing operation. Taylor had left the apartment when the deputies arrived. The deputies contacted U.S. Secret Service agents, who found several uncut sheets of counterfeit U.S. currency in the apartment, which contained handwritten notes in the margin describing the different paper and the scanning and printing techniques used to produce the highest quality counterfeit notes. Agents also located in the same room a printer, scanner, and computers, which Taylor was using to manufacture counterfeit U.S. currency, as well as counterfeit Federal Reserve Notes on the floor of the room and in the desk drawers. Officers also located a removable hard drive and additional counterfeit notes outside the apartment among Taylor’s belongings.
A forensic examination of the computers seized from the apartment revealed digital images of varying denominations of counterfeit U.S. currency. Several of the digital images on the computers matched the counterfeit money found in Taylor’s apartment.
Taylor faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. Chief U.S. District Judge Deborah K. Chasanow has scheduled sentencing for January 24, 2011 at 11:30 a.m.
United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein commended the Secret Service and Prince George’s County Sheriff’s Office for their work in the investigation. Mr. Rosenstein thanked Assistant United States Attorney Michael Pauzé, who is prosecuting the case.