43
Cleveland men accused of using fake money in Boardman, Niles
By Robert Guttersohn
boardman
Two men were arraigned Thursday night, each accused of using counterfeit $100 bills at three locations in Boardman and one in Niles.
Benjamin Lucas and Brian Lumbus, both of Cleveland, used bleached $5 bills reprinted as $100 and were arrested Wednesday, a police report said. The two will appear in Mahoning County Area Court in Boardman on May 31 for a preliminary hearing.
Two witnesses identified Lucas as using the counterfeit money at Macy’s, 7401 Market St., and Havana House, 235 Boardman-Canfield Road.
At Macy’s, a witness said Lucas used the fake bills on three separate occasions. His bills were able to pass a pen test and weren’t discovered to be counterfeit until later.
A third witness identified Lumbus as using a fake $100 bill at Party Place, 235 Boardman-Canfield Road.
In all cases, the men would pay for low-value items with $100 and receive large amounts of change.
Niles police also believe there is a connection between the Cleveland men and a similar incident that occurred at the Macy’s in Niles, also on Wednesday, said city Detective Ken Criswell.
Police arrested a third man with Lucas and Lumbus — Jonathan Wainwright, also from Cleveland — for a parole violation.
The three men, along with one other passenger released by police, traveled from Cleveland using a car rented under a fake license with the name Marilou Tavares, bearing the photo of Lucas.
After the third incident at the Macy’s in Boardman, a loss-prevention employee tracked the vehicle to Party Place where Boardman police stopped Lumbus, Wainwright and the fourth man in the vehicle. Police later found Lucas not far from Havana House. Boardman Capt. Don Hawkins said Boardman police contacted the Secret Service.
Police have charged Lucas with criminal simulation, receiving stolen property, forgery and identity theft. Lumbus is charged with criminal simulation and receiving stolen property, according to the police report.
Lucas had $428 in cash on him; Lumbus had $1,315 in cash, the report said.