Great Falls man sentenced for counterfeiting money

GREAT FALLS—Great Falls resident Derek Mathew Ferdinand, 32, was sentenced to nine months in prison, two years of supervised release and ordered to pay $1,485 restitution in federal court on Dec. 11 for conviction for making fake money, U.S. Attorney Kurt G. Alme said.

U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided.

Ferdinand pleaded guilty earlier to counterfeiting obligations or securities of the United States.

In May 2017, the Great Falls Police Department and Cascade County Sheriff’s Office received reports of counterfeit money circulating through local businesses. Numerous business owners in Belt reported receiving the fake bills and identified Ferdinand as having been present while another person passed the bills. A surveillance video from one business showed Ferdinand passing a counterfeit bill to a bartender.

A witness told investigators that Ferdinand had explained to the person how he made counterfeit money and was “getting the bills perfect.” Law enforcement also spoke to another witness who had pictures of Ferdinand making money and reviewed the photographs. Agents determined that Ferdinand was responsible for making about $2,000 of the counterfeit money that individuals passed in the community.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica Betley prosecuted the case, which was investigated by the U.S. Secret Service and the Great Falls Police Department.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together federal, state, local and tribal law enforcement agencies and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make neighborhoods safer for everyone.  The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of its renewed focus on targeting violent criminals.

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