Three Elkins residents charged in counterfeit money scheme

ELKINS, WEST VIRGINIA – A federal grand jury returned an indictment today charging three Elkins residents with fraudulently using counterfeit money to obtain authentic currency and other goods, United States Attorney William J. Ihlenfeld, II, announced.

Marc G. Collett, 34, Robert R. Teter, 29, and Jonathan J. Ross, 29, all of Elkins, are alleged to have repeatedly exchanged counterfeit money in order to obtain authentic United States currency, debit cards, and merchandise in Harrison County, West Virginia in late 2014.

All three defendants are charged with one count of “Conspiracy to Utter Counterfeit Obligations or Securities” and two counts of “Uttering Counterfeit Obligations or Securities – Aiding and Abetting.” Collett is further charged with three additional counts of “Uttering Counterfeit Obligations or Securities – Aiding and Abetting.” Teter is further charged with two additional count of “Uttering Counterfeit Obligations or Securities – Aiding and Abetting.” The defendants each face up to 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000 on each of the aforementioned charges. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah Montoro is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The United States Secret Service, the Clarksburg, West Virginia Police Department, and the West Virginia State Police are investigating.

An indictment is merely an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.