A search warrant was executed on a townhouse on Magnolia Lane after two students at Herndon Middle School were found to be carrying money believed to be counterfeit. The warrant, filed June 7, authorized police to seize and search all computers, monitors, keyboards, scanners, printers and other computer-related equipment and documents.
"It is an ongoing investigation," said Sgt. Rich Perez, from the Fairfax County Police Public Information Office. "No charges have been filed yet."
According to the warrant, a student Ñ because juveniles are involved, the Connection is not identifying any of the people named in the warrant Ñ tried to exchange a suspected counterfeit $20 for two $10 in the school's cafeteria May 5. The student was interviewed by assistant principal Vanessa Jackson. The student said he had gotten the money from a fellow student.
The second student was then interviewed by Jackson and the school's resource officer. During the interview, the second student handed over $150 worth of suspected counterfeit money that he admitted making on his home scanner. According the search warrant, the suspect bills, consisting of $5s, $20s and $50s, all had the same serial numbers.
On May 19, the resource officer contacted the U.S. Secret Service. The investigation, however, remains in the hands of Fairfax County said Perez, because in general, the Secret Service does not have jurisdiction over cases involving juveniles.
The Secret Service, according to the warrant, contacted the mother of the student who claimed he produced the money. The mother allegedly admitting knowing her son created the money and said she subsequently deleted the files used to create the phony bills.
Perez would not comment on what charges, if any, might be brought against the three people named in the warrant.