Tampa, Fla. A U.S. Secret Service investigation has led to the arrest of a Florida man who has pleaded guilty to manufacturing counterfeit currency.
Anthony Wayne Smith (58) faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison. A sentencing hearing is scheduled for April 6.
According to the plea agreement, Smith manufactured U.S. Federal Reserve notes at his home in Bradenton, Florida. During the execution of a search warrant on Smiths residence, agents from the Secret Service Tampa Field Office along with officers from the Manatee County Sheriffs Office recovered, among other things, a large quantity of counterfeit notes hidden throughout the residence, texturized printing paper, and printers. Additionally, the Secret Service Tampa Cyber Fraud Task Force conducted a forensic examination of Smiths laptop computer, which revealed digital images of U.S. Federal Reserve notes that had been used in the production and manufacture of counterfeit currency.
This case is an excellent example of the great working relationships the Secret Service maintains with our State and local law enforcement agency partners, said U.S. Secret Service Special Agent in Charge Robert Engel, of the Tampa Field Office. It also illustrates the importance of the Secret Services founding mission to suppress counterfeit currency.
The Secret Service was established in 1865 to combat the counterfeiting of U.S. currency. By the end of the Civil War, nearly one-third of all currency in circulation was counterfeit. As a result, the countrys financial stability was in jeopardy. The Secret Service was charged with protecting the U.S. financial infrastructure in 1865 and continues to do so through counterfeit investigations, as well as leading the fight against the ever-evolving cybercrime threat.
This case was investigated by the United States Secret Service, the Manatee County Sheriffs Office, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David W.A. Chee.
Source: U.S. Secret Service