Hot Springs Man Indicted for Passing Counterfeit Money

United States Attorney Brendan V. Johnson announced that a Hot Springs man has been indicted by a federal grand jury for passing counterfeit twenty dollar bills at Best Buy, Bed Bath & Beyond, Scheels All Sports, and Blockbuster at Rapid City in August 2012.

Jeffrey Walsh, age 35, was indicted by a federal grand jury on October 23, 2012, for four counts of Uttering Counterfeit Obligations of the United States. Walsh appeared before United States Magistrate Judge Veronica L. Duffy on December 20, 2012, and pled not guilty to the indictment. The maximum penalty upon conviction is 20 years of imprisonment and a $250,000 fine for each count. The charges are merely accusations, and Walsh is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.

The investigation is being conducted by the United States Secret Service, Pennington County Sheriff's Office, Rapid City Police Department, South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation, and the Chadron Police Department in Nebraska. Assistant United States Attorney Wayne Venhuizen is prosecuting the case. Walsh was remanded to the custody of the United States Marshal. A trial date has been set for February 26, 2013.