Woman arrested for exchanging counterfeit money
Fri, 2016-01-22 05:00
News Staff
By LYNETTE SOWELL
Cove Leader-Press
A Copperas Cove woman was arrested last week on the charge of exchanging counterfeit twenty dollar bills for cash in an incident which took place in October 2015.
Until last week, 18-year-old Christina Milagros Rodriguez was an unknown accomplice to 21-year-old Brittney Hope Meyer, also of Copperas Cove.
According to the arrest affidavit, six counterfeit 20-dollar bills were found in the register at Yaghi’s Pizzeria on Oct. 26, 2015, where Meyer was an employee.
Surveillance footage showed several exchanges between Meyer and Rodriguez, during which Meyer rang up a “no sale” and gave Rodriguez a 100-dollar bill and received five counterfeit twenties, keeping them. The recording then shows Meyer waving Rodriguez away from the register.
That exchange was followed five minutes later by a purchase by Rodriguez with a counterfeit 20-dollar bill, for which Meyer gave Rodriguez change.
Then a third exchange took place, with Rodriguez making another purchase, this time giving Meyer five counterfeit 20-dollar bills, with Meyer making change, placing it into the register, then handing Rodriguez a 100-dollar bill.
At the time investigators and the restaurant’s owner, Rodney Labrie, reviewed the surveillance recording, Rodriguez’ identity wasn’t known.
On Jan. 10, 2016, Labrie informed the authorities that the unknown accomplice’s first name was Christina and she was a friend of Meyer. Investigators obtained a photo of Rodriguez, which Labrie confirmed was the same unidentified woman in the surveillance recording.
Sgt. Martin Ruiz of the Copperas Cove Police Department said there is currently a warrant out for the arrest of Meyer, who faces the same charge as Rodriguez.
The exchange of counterfeit currency is a third degree felony.