Sacramento County women used counterfeit cash at multiple Oregon businesses, sheriff says
LODI — A mother and daughter duo from the Sacramento area are accused of using counterfeit money at several businesses in Jackson County, Oregon, authorities said Monday.
Samantha Jo Ann O'Neil, 42, and Jamie Aileen O'Neal, 18, both from the Walnut Grove community in southern Sacramento County, were arrested on Saturday, the Jackson County Sheriff's Office said.
Both women face three counts of first-degree forgery, three counts of third-degree theft, 10 counts of criminal possession of a forged instrument and three counts of possession of a forgery device, authorities said.
The alleged crimes took place in the town of White City. The women are accused of using counterfeit $20 bills at several area businesses.
After two reports were made to local law enforcement early Saturday morning, surveillance footage obtained by investigators showed the suspects' vehicle, a Toyota Camry, with a California license plate.
That car was located later that morning in the city of Medford, just south of White City, in the parking lot of a Hobby Lobby. After surveilling the vehicle for a while, deputies arrested the two women as they were returning to the car.
Authorities said more counterfeit money was located inside the suspects' vehicle. The sheriff's office identified that Hobby Lobby, as well as Dutch Bros., McDonald's, and Starbucks locations in White City, as businesses where counterfeit bills were used.
The O'Neils left to Oregon from Lodi, California, on April 23, authorities said. Law enforcement officials believe there are additional businesses where the counterfeit bills were used while the women made their trip north.
The 42-year-old O'Neil allegedly was also in possession of more than seven grams of methamphetamine and a meth pipe. She faces an additional drug charge, the sheriff's office said.
