Three Individuals Indicted in Counterfeit Money Scheme
RICHMOND, Va. – Martin Maurice Lewis, Jr., 38; Nicole Lashawn Ware, 21; and Brittni Lashawn Fleming, 20, all of Georgia, were indicted by a federal grand jury today on charges of conspiracy, money laundering, and uttering counterfeit obligations.
Neil H. MacBride, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, made the announcement. Lewis, Ware and Fleming face a maximum penalty of twenty years’ imprisonment.
According to the indictment, Lewis, Ware and Fleming traveled to various Target stores throughout the Richmond and Tidewater, Virginia areas as part of a scheme to purchase merchandise, mostly electronics, using counterfeit money. Shortly after the initial purchase, the indictment alleges, the defendants would return the items to the same or a different Target location, and would receive genuine United States currency in exchange for the items.
This case was investigated by the United States Secret Service. Assistant United States Attorney Jamie Mickelson is prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States.
Criminal indictments are only charges and not evidence of guilt. A defendant is presumed to be innocent until and unless proven guilty.
A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the United States Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Virginia at http://www.justice.gov/usao/vae. Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia at http://www.vaed.uscourts.gov or on http://pacer.uspci.uscourts.gov.
