In July, two men who were arrested for Virginia DUI were also charged with possession of counterfeit US currency. Police officers became suspicious when they found that two of the men had three strange looking $100 bills. Suspicion grew when the officers noticed the phrase "Billete De La Suerte Alasitas" printed beside Benjamin Franklin's head. When the officers investigated further, they found that an acquaintance of the driver had 59 more of these bills in his house. According to the Washington Post, these bills are distributed each year in Bolivia and Peru during the festival of Alasitas. They may also be purchased on eBay.
According to the US Secret Service, these counterfeit bills have made their way into the U.S. Federal Reserve 125 times.
At the scene of the incident, one man, Jose Portillo, was charged with a Virginia DUI, refusal to take a breathalyzer test, possession of fictitious bank notes and possession of a false work card. The other man Ronald Virto, was charged with the possession of more than 10 fictitious bank notes, passing fictitious bank notes, as well as Virginia DUI charges.
Oftentimes a Virginia DUI can lead to further and more serious charges. If you have recently been charged with a Virginia DUI, you can fight your charge with the help of a Virginia DUI defense attorney.
Virginia DUI defense attorney Bob Battle has the experience and ability to help his clients use these errors to mount a successful DUI defense. To learn more about Virginia DUI, get a free copy of Bob Battle's consumer guide, How to Choose a DUI Lawyer in Virginia. Or, contact 804-673-5600 to schedule your legal consultation today.
Posted on Jul 28, 2010