Clinton Curry, 40, of San Francisco, California, has been sentenced to five years in federal prison for his role in a counterfeit currency scheme, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Idaho announced today.
Curry was involved in at least 46 separate incidents of passing or possessing counterfeit bills across multiple states, including Arizona, Idaho, Oregon, and Texas.
The investigation into Curry’s illegal activity began on September 9, 2023, when he entered a store in Post Falls, Idaho, and purchased $324 worth of goods using counterfeit bills. After Curry left the store, employees discovered that most of the bills were fake.
The U.S. Secret Service, working with local law enforcement, quickly launched an investigation. Officers were able to connect Curry to similar incidents in Washington, Montana, Utah, Wyoming, and Oklahoma. In total, Curry attempted to use or passed over $40,000 in counterfeit currency.
U.S. Attorney Josh Hurwit emphasized the importance of multi-agency coordination in combatting those who threaten the financial system by using counterfeit money. Special Agent in Charge Glen Peterson of the U.S. Secret Service Seattle Field Office also acknowledged the collaborative efforts that led to Curry’s arrest.
In addition to his prison sentence, U.S. Circuit Judge Richard C. Tallman ordered Curry to pay restitution to the businesses he defrauded.
