Alleged Counterfeiters Hit Stores In Cleveland's Eastern Suburbs

EUCLID, OH — Three men have been indicted for passing counterfeit money at businesses throughout Northeast Ohio. U.S. Attorney Justin Herdman said the men may have passed as much as $20,000 to more than a dozen stores across the region.

“These defendants are accused of stealing tens of thousands of dollars from stores across Northeast Ohio,” Herdman said. “Whether it was buying merchandise from large stores, making relatively small purchases in an effort to get change or buy debit cards with fake cash, they broke the law and will now be held accountable for their actions.”

The three men named in the indictment are Labrawn Revelle Gullatt, Jr., 23, of Euclid; Yul Ardon Martin, Jr., 39 and Meco L. Shaw, 22, both from Cleveland. Many of the businesses allegedly targeted by the men were in Cleveland's eastern suburbs.

The three men allegedly passed their counterfeit money between April 2017 and February 2018. Most of the counterfeit bills were $50 denominations, the indictment said. The men made purchases from Walmarts in Sandusky, Mansfield and Cleveland; Home Depots in Highland Heights, Mentor and Euclid and Babies R Us in Mentor.

The men also allegedly made smaller purchases using the counterfeit $50 bills, including a milkshake from an Arby's in Mentor and a sandwich from Chick-fil-A in Willoughby, the indictment said. They also made purchases from several stores in Aurora and Bainbridge, and attempted to purchase gift and debit cards using the counterfeit money, the indictment said.

The U.S. Secret Service investigated the men.

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