Staff Writer
PRESQUE ISLE – A lengthy investigation by members of the Presque Isle Police Department and federal officials into the distribution of counterfeit bills has resulted in the arrest of a local man. “As the result of an investigation into several counterfeit $20 bills being circulated to businesses in Presque Isle between February 5 and 23, 28-year-old Ryan Young was charged with aggravated forgery for manufacturing and initial distribution of the bogus currency,” said Det. Sgt. Wayne Selfridge, PIPD.
According to Selfridge, the successful investigation was the result of a cooperative inquiry by an agent with the U.S. Secret Service and the PIPD’s Criminal Investigation Division.
“Approximately $300 worth was printed, with several bills recovered. Young, who has a criminal record, is scheduled to appear in Superior Court on July 9 to be arraigned on this Class B felony,” Selfridge said.
Selfridge said Young is presently incarcerated on burglary, theft and criminal mischief charges as the result of another felony case involving the February 9 burglary of a Presque Isle restaurant.
“That same night, both Young and his roommate, Jean-Louis Michaud, also with a criminal history, were arrested in an early-morning, high-risk search warrant service of their State Street apartment by Officers Kevin Reed, Jeffrey Mechalko, Larry Fickett and myself. The two suspects, and two uninvolved females found in the apartment, were taken down at gunpoint after a conversation was overhead about wanting to shoot an officer,” said Selfridge.
Entry was successfully gained without incident, said the detective.
“The cash register stolen from the business was recovered. Both Young and Michaud remain in jail, since neither could post bail,” he said.
Selfridge said both men were arraigned on the charges related to the restaurant burglary, with the Grand Jury handing up indictments on both.
Police were able to make the most recent arrest based on information obtained since Young was first taken into custody earlier this year.
“It was peripheral information obtained as a result of the burglary investigation that led to resolving the counterfeit event,” said Selfridge.
