Oceanside CA– On July 24, 2014 Oceanside Police Officer Erik Ellgard took a report of a person attempting to pass counterfeit one hundred-dollar bills at a business in the 2100 block of Oceanside Boulevard. He remembered taking other reports in the general area of a person passing counterfeit one hundred-dollar bills. Officer Ellgard obtained suspect and vehicle descriptions, including the license plate of the suspect vehicle.
A total of six separate incidents were recorded in the 2100 block of Oceanside Boulevard, the 1400 block of El Camino Real and the 3400 block of Marron Road.
On July 25, 2014 Officer Ellgard located the suspect vehicle at a business in the 900 block of N. Coast Highway.
The officers set up a surveillance team. With help from detectives from the Investigations Division, a search warrant was obtained. While waiting for delivery of the search warrant, the primary suspect entered a vehicle and drove away. A traffic stop was conducted. The driver was taken into custody. A search of the room revealed more counterfeit bills and other evidence consistent with counterfeiting. Also recovered was a 12 gauge shotgun.
This investigation is an excellent example of the ability of an officer to recognize a series of crimes, initiate an investigation and follow it through to its conclusion.
Arrested on a variety of charges were Justin Pelligrini of Poway, Christopher Gardner of San Diego and Sherry Gardner of Tracy.
Oceanside Police Nab Counterfeiters
July 26, 2014