$1 Million in Counterfeit Bills Found; 5 Arrested

Police found nearly $1 million in counterfeit $20 bills in a La Puente home and bought $30,000 more on a Fontana street during the break-up of a San Gabriel Valley ring that allegedly used phony money to buy drugs, authorities said Saturday.

Five people were arrested Friday night on suspicion of possessing and passing counterfeit currency, after a nine-month investigation by 24 detectives from the El Monte Police Department, the Sheriff’s Department, the U.S. Secret Service and a task force representing several San Gabriel Valley police departments that team up for surveillance efforts, said El Monte Officer Michael Roman.

The investigation began with a tip from an informant. On Friday, the detectives followed several suspects until one undercover agent bought $30,000 in counterfeit bills from a woman on a Fontana street about 7 p.m., Roman said.

Search Warrants

Detectives then served search warrants at homes in La Puente and Hacienda Heights, he said.

The large cache of counterfeit bills was found in cardboard boxes, Roman said. He said police also found small amounts of narcotics and a sawed-off shotgun, 10 rifles and 5 handguns.

Police believe members of the counterfeiting ring bought drugs with the bills. “That was their buy money,” Roman said.

Arrests Made

Jeanette Beck, 33, of Hacienda Heights, was arrested in Fontana; Gus Portillo, 33, and Gloria Portillo, 35, were arrested at a home in La Puente, and Michael Williams, 37, and Cheryl Beecher, 40, were arrested at a home in Hacienda Heights, Roman said.

The five were booked on state charges, but federal charges were expected to be filed later, said El Monte Officer David Rowe. All five were being held in El Monte in lieu of $20,000 bail, Rowe said.