Frm the U.S. Attorney:
Chicago Man Sentenced to More Than Seven Years in Federal Prison for Manufacturing and Using Counterfeit Bills
CHICAGO — A Chicago man has been sentenced to more than seven years in federal prison for manufacturing counterfeit $100 bills and using them in retail stores.
MARQUISE SHORES used chemicals and a printer in his Chicago residence to manufacture approximately $92,000 in counterfeit $100 bills.
Shores then used Facebook Messenger to recruit young women, including girls as young as 16 years old, to use the counterfeit bills to buy merchandise at retail stores, while Shores waited outside.
He later instructed the young women to return the merchandise for genuine currency, with Shores retaining most of the illicit proceeds.
Shores, 28, pleaded guilty last year to a federal counterfeiting charge.
U.S. District Judge Virginia M. Kendall on Wednesday sentenced Shores to seven years and three months in prison.
The sentence was announced by Morris Pasqual, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Dai Tran, Special Agent in Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the U.S. Secret Service. The government was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kurt Siegal.
“Marquise Shores manufactured counterfeit currency and used it to defraud local businesses and enrich himself,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Pasqual.
“Our office will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to investigate and prosecute counterfeiters and ensure the integrity of our economy.”
“The U.S. Secret Service is dedicated to combatting crimes that threaten or harm our nation’s financial infrastructure,” Secret Service Special Agent in Charge Tran said.
“Counterfeiting not only harms that infrastructure, but also hurts law-abiding citizens as evidenced by the businesses defrauded in this case.
“I’m proud of our agents, and I thank the U.S. Attorney’s Office for their diligent work on this case.”
