Sioux Falls Man Sentenced For Making Counterfeit Currency

United States Attorney Brendan V. Johnson announced that a Sioux Falls, South Dakota, man convicted of Making Counterfeit Currency was sentenced on January 16, 2015, by U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier.

Joshua Shane Lajoie, age 29, was sentenced to 30 months in custody, to be followed by 2 years of supervised release.  He was also ordered to make restitution of $560 to various businesses in the Sioux Falls area.

Lajoie was indicted by a federal grand jury on June 3, 2014, for one count of Making Counterfeit Currency, three counts of Passing Counterfeit Currency, and one count of Possession Of Counterfeit Currency.  He pled guilty to the Making Counterfeit Currency charge on September 23, 2014.  The other charges were dismissed.

The Sioux Falls Police Department received reports from several Sioux Falls businesses that they had received counterfeit $20 bills in late November and December of 2013.  An investigation led to the arrest of several individuals, including Lajoie.  It was determined that Lajoie had been making the
counterfeit money and used it to purchase drugs.  In turn, the sellers of the drugs spent the counterfeit money.  It is estimated that 116 counterfeit $20 bills were passed in the area.

This case was investigated by the Sioux Falls Police Department, the Minnehaha County Sheriff’s Office, and the U.S. Secret Service.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Ann M. Hoffman prosecuted the case.

Lajoie was immediately turned over to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.