(Stillwater, Okla.) — A Stillwater businessman accused of passing two counterfeit $50 bills, one each at JR Murphy’s Bar and the College Bar on the strip south of Oklahoma State University on March 10, has been ordered to appear in court on May 4 when he can seek a preliminary hearing on two counts of second-degree forgery.
If convicted of passing counterfeit money, Ronnie Jason Crandall Sr., 38, could be given a 14-year prison term, court records show. He remains free on $20,000 bond, court records show.
His associate, Curtis Gregory Robles, 38, who reportedly rented a room at Crandall’s residence, was a fugitive from justice with an active U.S. Marshal’s arrest warrant for a probation violation, according to a Stillwater police news release.
Stillwater Police Detective Lt. Jeff Watts wrote in an affidavit filed Monday in court records, “During my interview with Ronnie (Crandall), he stated he paid to help Curtis (Robles) move to Stillwater from Las Vegas in November of 2013.
“He stated Curtis was working for him at his (Ronnie’s) marble and tile company.
“Ronnie admitted he knew Curtis had previous convictions for counterfeiting money,” the affidavit alleged.
“Ronnie stated during the month of February, their business was slow and he and Curtis were both hurting for money.
“Ronnie said a couple days before going to the bars, Curtis paid him $1200 in $50 bills,” the affidavit alleged.
“Ronnie stated when he started spending the money at the bars on the night he was contacted by Officer Inciarte, someone told him the money did not look real.
“Ronnie stated he continued to spend the money because he was intoxicated,” the affidavit alleged.
“On March 11, 2015, members of the Stillwater Police Department’s Criminal Investigations Division served a search warrant at 3202 W. 29th Court,” listed as Crandall’s residence in court records, according to the affidavit.
“Detectives recovered numerous counterfeit bills, printing equipment and other evidence of counterfeiting,” the affidavit alleged.
“The evidence was located in the room identified as being rented by Curtis Robles,” the affidavit alleged.
“While detectives were conducting the search warrant service, Ronnie (Crandall) returned to the residence,” and was subsequently arrested for possession of a forged instrument, the affidavit said.
According to a news release by Stillwater Police Captain Kyle Gibbs, “Since February of this year, the Stillwater Police Department has investigated at least 20 complaints of counterfeit bills being distributed within the city.
“The reports involved bills of varying denominations ($5, $10, $20 and $50) that were of high and consistent quality.
“The counterfeit money was being passed at local businesses, convenience stores and also used to buy items for sale on Craigslist.
“On March 10, 2015, Stillwater Police Officers were dispatched to JR Murphy’s Bar, 306 S. Washington, for a report of counterfeit $50 bills.
“The arriving officer learned Crandall had been using counterfeit $50 bills to purchase drinks at various bars in the area known as the Strip.
“Crandall would give the patron a counterfeit $50 bill and ask them to go buy a drink and bring him the change.
“Crandall told the officer he had received the money when he sold a four-wheeler.
“Crandall stated he did not know the money was counterfeit.
“The officer recovered six $50 bills that were used at two different bars and another nine counterfeit $50 bills from Crandall,” the police news release alleged.
On March 11, police “interviewed Crandall, who told them the person who bought the four-wheeler met him at the convenience store at 19th and Sangre,” the news release said.
“While in the store, the detective learned a counterfeit $5 bill had been received by the store a few days earlier.
“Detectives were able to identify the suspect and his place of residence, 3912 Yorkshire in Stillwater,” the news release said.
Police learned that a computer advertised on Craigslist had been bought with cash, the news release said.
“When the seller deposited the cash into his bank account, he was notified that 28 of the $20 bills he had received were counterfeit. A lead in that case led the detectives to the same residence on Yorkshire,” the news release said.
When the Yorkshire residence was searched on March 11, “detectives recovered six counterfeit $20 bills,” the news release said.
A Stillwater man arrested at that house for alleged methamphetamine possession said he had gotten the counterfeit money from “Uncle Curtis,” identified as Robles, who reportedly lived with Crandall at 3202 W. 29th Court, the news release said.
When a search warrant was served at 3202 W. 29th Court, “Detectives recovered over $10,500 in counterfeit $5, $10, $20, $50 and $100 bills.
“Detectives also recovered methamphetamine, a printer, paper, clippings and items used to complete the counterfeiting process,” the police news release alleged.
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