Crime & Safety

Trail of Bogus Bills Leads 3 to Clarkstown Lockup

Police say a man who tried to buy a vacuum with counterfeit money, and two friends who came to see him at the Clarkstown police station bringing fast food they bought with phony $20s, face felony and misdemeanor charges. 

On Feb. 12, Shoyn Johnson, 24, was arrested at the Target store at the Palisades Mall after he passed counterfeit $20 bills, Clarkstown police said.

Store security told police Johnson and another man had used the bills to purchase a vacuum cleaner valued at $299.99.  Johnson was stopped as he left with the merchandise and was brought to the loss prevention office. The other man left.

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Johnson was arrested and taken to the Clarkstown Police Department. He had an additional 49 counterfeit $20 bills with him, police said. 

That was at 6:30 p.m.

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Just after 9 p.m., staff at Wendy’s in Nanuet called police to report that two men had purchased food using three counterfeit $20 bills.  

The caller reported that the suspects had left the fast-food restaurant in a blue sedan and gave the car's registration to the dispatcher.

A short time later, said vehicle was observed driving into the parking lot of the Clarkstown Police Department, police said.  

"Two subjects exited the vehicle, one carrying the Wendy’s food bag, and entered the lobby of the station.  The men stated they were there to see their friend who was arrested earlier in the night.  Both men were identified as the men passing the counterfeit bills inside of Wendy’s," police said.

Arrested were Elden Grenardo, 23, and Anthony Calixte, 24. Grenardo was identified as the male who had acted in concert with Johnson at the Target store.

The trio, Brooklyn residents all, were arraigned in Clarkstown Justice Court before Judge Johns.  

All three were charged with criminal possession of a forged instrument 1st (felony), petit larceny and criminal possession of stolen property 5th, both misdemeanors.  Grenardo was hit with one additional charge of first-degree criminal possession of a forged instrument. 

All were sent to the Rockland County Correctional Facility. Bail was set as follows: Johnson $25,000, Grenardo $10,000 and Calixte $25,000.  All were given a return court date of Feb. 18.

The counterfeit $20s contained the same serial number and lacked official security features, police said.


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