Additional counterfeiting items recovered include computer and printing equipment, paper supplies consistent with counterfeiting currency and a printer used to manufacture ID cards, such as fraudulent driver’s licenses.
The sheriff’s office in St. Lucie County, Florida, was notified by management July 23 at the Hilton Garden Inn located in St. Lucie West that a housekeeping staff member entered a hotel room to clean and located items of a suspicious nature, according to St. Lucie County Sheriff Ken Mascara. “Our detectives obtained a search warrant for these hotel rooms and conducted an exhaustive search and inventory of each item,” Mascara said.
Through this investigation, the identity of the occupants of these rooms was confirmed to be Chris Tucker Bertany, 30, Jesse David Delay, 40, and Sierra Jackson, 20, according to Mascara. “All three were detained and brought to our office for questioning,” Mascara said. “Bertany stated he stayed in the room with printing equipment and admitted to printing between $3,000 and $4,000 in counterfeit currency and passed more than $1,000 in St. Lucie County alone.”
The search of the hotel room and of Bertany revealed more than 20 counterfeit bills in $100, $50 and $20 denominations were located and confirmed to be counterfeit by Secret Service special agents, according to the Sheriff. “These counterfeits were very sophisticated and, in fact, were not detected by the standard ‘counterfeit pen’ used by most merchants,” Mascara said. “Bertany further admitted to using the counterfeits to purchase small items and then return them for the real currency.” A search of Bertany’s vehicle revealed addition counterfeit and real currency, receipts matching items purchased with the counterfeit currency and items that had been purchased and not yet returned for real cash, Mascara said. “Working with our law enforcement partners throughout the Treasure Coast and across Florida, we have identified several other counterfeit cases believed to be connected to Bertany, Delay and Jackson and driver license cards from individuals across the U.S.,” Mascara said. “The Secret Service has also identified more than $10,000 in counterfeit currency in a case from Jacksonville area as well as other cases in the Orlando area that can be tied back to Bertany.”
Chris Bertany was charged with possession of tools, and paper for forgery or counterfeiting, possession of 10 or more counterfeit bills, fraud and driving with license suspended. He was booked into the St. Lucie County Jail on an $8,650 bond.
“In our interviews with Delay and Jackson, they admitted to occupying the room next to Bertany and being the persons responsible for renting the room with the fictitious name,” Mascara said. “However, neither admitted having any knowledge of the counterfeit currency, but were charged with the possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia.”
They were both booked into the St. Lucie County Jail on a $15,750 bond.
-- United States Secret Service