Three Akron men were indicted for trying to pass counterfeit currency at the Summit Mall, said Acting U.S. Attorney David A. Sierleja.
Narlon Portis, Jr., 22, Rubin Smith, 21, and Christopher Cutlip, 21, were charged in the four-count indictment with making, possessing, uttering and dealing in counterfeit obligations or securities.
Portis, Smith and Cutlip passed and attempted to pass counterfeit U.S. currency at Summit Mall in Fairlawn on June 14, 2017. Mall security contacted the Fairlawn Police Department after one of the businesses reported the trio passed counterfeit $10 bills. Fairlawn Police located the suspects outside of the mall, found a large number of counterfeit bills and were arrested, according to court documents.
If convicted, the defendant’s sentence will be determined by the Court after review of factors unique to this case, including the defendant’s prior criminal record, if any, the defendant’s role in the offense and the characteristics of the violations. In all cases, the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum and, in most cases, it will be less than the maximum.
The investigation was conducted by the U.S. Secret Service and the Fairlawn Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Teresa L. Riley.
An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
