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Pair Arrested for Passing Phony Bills, Drug Charges
By STU SAFFER
Two women from San Diego with a history of passing counterfeit money were arrested in Laguna Beach last Friday, May 2, after an observant employee of a downtown retailer correctly determined that a $100 bill offered in payment for a blouse was phony.
The clerk's hesitation caused the customer to panic and fleethe store with the unpaid merchandise while another store employee followed.
Police responded to the 8 p.m. call and saw the suspect, later identified as Katrina Darlene Moorin, 22, running down Forest Avenue and were able to quickly detain her. She was in possession of the blouse as well as more phony $100 bills, a false ID, methamphetamine and a meth pipe. Police also found receipts from two other downtown retailers in her possession.
Moorin told police that she and a friend had come to Laguna in a Honda parked on Second Street.
Officerswent to the car where they encountered 27-year-old Hayley Pinto inside. Because Pinto is on formal probation, police searched her and the Honda and found items associated with counterfeiting, heroin, a drug scale and plastic baggies. Police also discovered prescription medications in the car without an accompanying doctor's prescription.
Both women were charged with making counterfeit bills, felony possession of a controlled substance, possession of drug paraphernalia, conspiracy to commit a crime and being under the influence of drugs. Pinto was also charged with possession of heroin for sales and Moorin had a felony warrant for her arrest out of San Diego.
Sgt. Jason Kravetz said the women would purchase an inexpensive item with the phony money and receive change in legitimate currency.
"The two other stores Moorin had receipts from were contacted and we retrieved the counterfeit $100 bills from them," Kravetz explained.
Police also learned that Moorin and Pinto are awaiting trial in San Diego on charges of passing counterfeit money.
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