OCPD Charges Berlin Man in Counterfeit Case

OCEAN CITY, MD – (January 20, 2016): The Ocean City Police Department recently arrested a Berlin man for possessing and manufacturing counterfeit U.S. currency. An investigation was initiated after detectives located counterfeit currency in a vehicle during a drug arrest.

On January 1, 2016, detectives of the Ocean City Police Department Narcotics Unit were conducting surveillance and observed Christopher C. Simone, 35, of Berlin, MD, driving a vehicle with a suspended Maryland driver’s license. Detectives conducted a traffic stop in the area of 59th Street and Coastal Highway. During a search of the vehicle, detectives located heroin, drug paraphernalia, a large fixed blade knife and a police style baton. In addition, detectives located counterfeit currency in the vehicle. Simone was arrested and charged with possession of heroin and two counts of possession of a deadly weapon. Simone was seen by a Maryland District Court Commissioner and transferred to the Worcester County Jail on $25,000 bond.

Later that evening, Ocean City Police Department Criminal Investigation Division detectives and members of the Worcester County Criminal Enforcement Team continued to investigate the counterfeit currency and executed a search warrant on Simone’s home in Berlin, MD. During the search, detectives located counterfeit currency and equipment that was used to print counterfeit currency. Serial numbers used on the counterfeit currency in the home matched those found in the search of Simone’s car as well as serial numbers from a counterfeit case in Wicomico County.

Simone was release from the Worcester County Jail on January 7. On January 9, at approximately 1:40 p.m. detectives located Simone and arrested him for felony charges resulting from the January 1 search with assistance from the Worcester County Sheriff’s Office. He was charged with two counts of knowingly possessing counterfeit U.S. currency, scanning digital images of U.S. currency with intent to defraud and manufacturing U.S. currency with intent to defraud. Simone was seen by a Maryland District Court Commissioner and transferred to the Worcester County Jail on $250,000 bond.

Citizens are advised that the following serial numbers were used by Simone: #ML80574368D, #MA82495055A, #MB544124485C, and #IC47767665. Anyone that believes they may be a victim of this counterfeit case is asked to contact Detective Dave Whitmer at 410-520-5390 or dwhitmer@oceancitymd.gov.