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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Ten people charged in counterfeit case

Ten people are accused of manufacturing counterfeit money in the Spokane area.  

A grand jury in U.S. District Court in Spokane returned an indictment Tuesday alleging four women counterfeited nine $50 bills between May 5 and June 14.

One of the women, Jessica Crabtree, also is accused in a second indictment of cashing a fake $50 bill at the Cricket cellphone store at 21 S. Thierman St. in February 2010.

 Investigators believe Cole T. Monson, who is already in prison for dozens of property crimes, cashed two fake $100 bills in February 2010.

Ronald Dale Mueller, 44; Brandy Mueller and Robin Knuttgen are accused of manufacturing the bills between Jan. 5 and March 24, 2010.

Brandy Mueller faces five additional counts for allegedly cashing a fake $50 bill in February 2010; Ronald Mueller, who is already in jail on unrelated drug charges, is charged with cashing two the next month.

Along with Crabtree, Tawny M. Rhodes, Brittney R. Hearn and Melissa A. Smith are charged with manufacturing fake money between May and last week. Rhodes, 39, already is in jail on drug charges.

Knuttgen also faces two additional charges for allegedly cashing fake $50s, Angela Olveda, who is already in prison for theft and drug charges, and Sean Wright face one count each.

Manufacturing counterfeit currency and dealing counterfeit currency each carry sentences of up to 20 years in federal prison.