3 Held in Counterfeit Case Are Released

Authorities said Monday they were expanding their probe into a nationwide counterfeit travelers check and credit card ring as they released from custody three of five suspects arrested last week in the Valley-based scam.

Suzanne Childs, a spokeswoman for the Los Angeles County district attorney’s office, said prosecutors believe the number of people involved in the counterfeit ring could multiply.

“We believe there is a significantly larger number of people,” she said. “The investigation is very actively ongoing.”

On Thursday, counterfeit checks and scores of bogus credit cards were seized during raids at 15 locations in the county. Investigators also seized cars, jewelry, furniture and cash. Many of the confiscated credit cards carried credit lines of $40,000, authorities said.

Childs said investigators have identified an additional 2,500 stolen credit card numbers and insisted that the three suspects released Monday were not walking away from the case.

“Just the opposite,” she said. “This is going to be a much bigger case than anticipated.”

Released Monday were Maria King, 32, of Canoga Park and Avry Lyons, 43, and Jacqueline Marie Marshall, 44, both of Los Angeles. Two others, Julius Anderson, 45, and Albert Marion, 52, both of North Hills, were being held on unspecified charges.