Two women accused of passing fake money

The Secret Service is investigating a rash of counterfeit bill passings in Laguna Beach.

Two San Diego women were arrested at 8 p.m. May 2 after allegedly using fake $100 bills to purchase merchandise at various shops downtown, Laguna Beach Police Sgt. Jason Kravetz said.

Hayley Dawn Pinto, 28 and Katrina Darlene Moorin, 22, were shopping when Pinto was confronted by a sales clerk in the 200 block of South Coast Highway who noticed an apparently phony bill.

Pinto allegedly grabbed the merchandise without paying and fled the store, Kravetz said. She ran up Forest Avenue, directly into a Laguna Beach police officer who caught her.

Police found more allegedly fake $100 bills on Pinto, and receipts from other stores in the area. The officers seized the fake money, the property purchased with it, and narcotics from Pinto, Kravetz alleged.

Pinto was charged with making counterfeit bills, felony possession of a controlled substance, possession of drug paraphernalia, and conspiracy to commit a crime under the influence of drugs. Pinto is being held in the Orange County jail on $125,000 bail, according to Sheriff’s Department records.

Moorin was charged with conspiracy to commit a crime, possession of a controlled substance and making counterfeit bills. Moorin was jailed on $100,000 bond, according to Orange County jail records.

The case has been handed over to the Secret Service, which handles counterfeiting cases, said Sgt. Darin Lenyi.

CINDY FRAZIER is city editor of the Coastline Pilot. She can be contacted at (949) 494-2087 or [email protected].