ASHLAND — A Mansfield woman has been arrested and charged in a counterfeit case involving the United States Secret Service, according to a press release from the Ashland Police Department.
Debasmita Panda, 28, of Mansfield was held at the Ashland County Jail after being charged with fifth-degree felony forgery, according to Ashland Police Lieutenant Garry Alting.
Panda was served a complaint filed in Ashland County Common Pleas Court in Friday, April 27 charging her with Forgery.
Ashland Police said that on Saturday, April 21, officers responded to a report that two counterfeit bills were passed at the Wal-Mart Supercenter, 1996 East Main Street in Ashland. A female suspect had purchased a low value-item at one register using a counterfeit $50 bill. The suspect proceeded to another register and made a second purchase of a low-value item using another counterfeit $50 bill.
Police were provided with a description of both the suspect and her vehicle.
On Tuesday, April 25 an Ashland Officer on routine patrol located the suspect and her vehicle in a parking lot in the 1100 block of Claremont Avenue. Police identified her as Panda and made the arrest.
Detectives followed up with the investigation and recovered additional counterfeit bills from Panda’s home in Mansfield. The investigation revealed that Panda had passed counterfeit bills multiple times in Ashland over a three-week period.
The US Secret Service assisted with the ongoing investigation. They described the bills as prolific counterfeits that are manufactured overseas.
