On 05/14/13, at approximately 0850 hours, officers
were advised by a Save Mart employee that a male described as in his
40’s, with a “crew-cut” haircut, a tan shirt and white pants attempted
to pass a counterfeit $20.00 bill in the store. The employee advised
that the male was last seen walking south on S. Main Street. An officer
responded to the area and located a male walking in the area that
matched the description provided, and that subject was detained.
Further
investigation revealed that the male, identified as William T. Lewis,
had a felony out-of-county arrest warrant and that he is on
“Post-Release Community Supervision” from another county. Lewis, a 49
year-old Reno, NV resident, was in possession of three additional
counterfeit $20.00 bills. Further investigation revealed that he passed
one counterfeit $20.00 bill at Rite-Aide, and attempted to pass two
additional counterfeit bills at Save Mart and Altaville Market.
The
investigation led to the Jumping Frog Motel where Lewis was staying
with his wife, Lori M. Dahl, a 48 year-old Reno, NV resident. While at
the motel the officer located a vehicle that Dahl and Lewis were
associated with, and that vehicle was determined to be reported stolen
out of Reno, NV. Dahl had rented the room in her name, and she signed a
search warrant waiver for the room. A search of the room and the car
revealed numerous items consistent with the counterfeiting of U.S.
currency and identity theft. Additionally, hypodermic syringes and a
methamphetamine smoking pipe were found. Dahl was also arrested and
booked on numerous felony charges.
Additional
police department staff had to be called in to process the scene and
collect the evidence associated with this case, and that staff worked
throughout the day to collect, catalog and store the associated
evidence. Calaveras County Sheriff’s Deputies also assisted with
processing the scene. Some of the evidence items recovered indicate that
this couple are involved in the international trade of identity theft
related information.
Lewis
was booked on charges related to conspiracy to commit a crime,
burglary, possession of stolen property, forgery, possessing forged
currency, identity theft, possession of narcotic paraphernalia, and
possession of hypodermic syringes.
Dahl
was booked on charges related to conspiracy to commit a crime,
possession of stolen property, forgery, possessing forged currency, and
identity theft.
On
05-15-13 agents from the U.S. Secret Service arrived at the police
department to collect some of the evidence items recovered. The items
they collected are computer and identity theft related items, and their
computer forensics lab will examine the computer related equipment for
possible further evidence that is related to this case. This case will
be reviewed for a possible federal indictment of both Dahl and Lewis.