Crime & Safety

Miami Men Passed Counterfeit Bills, Sarasota Deputies Say

This article was reported and written by Patch Local Editor Merab Favorite.

Three Miami men were arrested Thursday after they allegedly used counterfeit bills at two Sarasota stores, according to the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office.

Shirahn Gilbert, 34; Antonio Hartsfield, 25; and Matthew Tyson, 22, were each charged with felony scheming to defraud and taken to the Sarasota County Jail, where they are being held on $1,500 bond each.

SSCO deputies responded to the Walmart in Venice on Thursday afternoon after the men allegedly tried to buy a vacuum cleaner with three fake $100 bills. When the clerk questioned their genuineness, one man grabbed the bills back and left the store while the other two others went separate ways, according to a report. 

All three suspects were located in the parking lot, the report states. Deputies reportedly recovered four more counterfeit $100 bills and items recently purchased from Lowe’s. They also learned the men had used four counterfeit bills at a Port Charlotte store on Wednesday. 

SCSO spokesperson Wendy Rose said the investigation is still ongoing and detectives are working with the Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office as well as with the Secret Service. 


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