Woman charged with counterfeiting
Lt. John Barnes and Detective George Hawkins, both of the Manassas Police Department, walked into the convenience store at about 9 a.m. and saw the store clerk checking the bill with a counterfeit detector pen, Woolverton said.
Hawkins saw the pen marks as the clerk marked the bills, knew they indicated that the money was fake and spoke to the clerk. The clerk told him that the woman who passed the bills had just left the store after buying money orders, Woolverton said.
The clerk pointed to a car that was leaving the parking lot and told police the woman who used the fake money was driving it, Woolverton said.
Hawkins and Barnes followed in their police car, stopped the woman near the intersection of West and Prince William streets and arrested Kenya Monique Johnson, of 9205 Douglas St.
Johnson was charged with passing counterfeit currency, which is a felony, Woolverton said.
During the initial questioning, Johnson lied to the detectives about her identity, Woolverton said.
Police also charged Johnson with driving on a suspended license, assuming the name of another and improper vehicle registration, all misdemeanors, Woolverton said.
West determined that four 20-dollar bills used at the convenience were counterfeit, Woolverton said. He also said if she is convicted, Johnson could receive up to 10 years in prison on the counterfeit charges.
Johnson was released in lieu of $10,000 bond pending a Dec. 5 preliminary hearing, Woolverton said.
The Manassas police notified the United States Department of the Treasury of the case, Woolverton said.