WESTFIELD – A traffic stop leads to discovery of counterfeit money and counterfeiting equipment, according to Westfield police.
At 4 a.m. September 19, Westfield Police Officer Matthew Preuss pulled over Zachary A. Pietrantonio, 24, of Plainville, Connecticut, because he recognized the vehicle as belonging to a party he had spoken to less than an hour earlier regarding a counterfeit $50 bill, according to police and court records.
Pietrantonio had attempted to use a counterfeit $50 at Dunkin’ Donuts, but the clerk used a counterfeit money detector pen which showed the bill to be fake.
Preuss pulled Pietrantonio over in the parking lot of the 76 Liquor Store on Southwick Road.
When Preuss ran Pietrantonio’s plate, he found he had a suspended Connecticut license with no license status in the Commonwealth.
After placing Pietrantonio under arrest for operating a motor vehicle with a suspended license, officers conducted an inventory of the vehicle prior to towing.
Police found what amounted to $259 of genuine currency in the vehicle, $69 of genuine currency on Pietrantonio’s person and 15 counterfeit bills, including the $50 bill the suspect had allegedly attempted to use at Dunkin’ Donuts.
Additionally, police found items to produce counterfeit currency, including two papers with copies of a $20 bill that were not yet cut from the paper, paper with cutouts that are approximately the same size as U.S. currency notes and a razor blade knife.
Police also found bags of gold necklaces, a scale, two iPhones and a black BB gun hidden under the rear passenger seat.
Further, Pietantronio had a driver’s license suspension notice from the state of Connecticut issued June 29 stating his license would be suspended on July 29.
Receipts from different retailers, located in Massachusetts, Connecticut and New Hampshire, were found throughout the vehicle for small purchases, which resulted in receiving a large amount of cash given back.
Pietrantonio was released on $10,000 personal surety after being arraigned in Westfield District Court Monday on seven charges: utter counterfeit note, unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle, forgery of bank note, possessing a counterfeit note, possessing counterfeit notes, possessing coin counterfeiting equipment and possessing counterfeiting equipment.
His pretrial hearing is scheduled for November 3.
Staff Writer Christine Charnosky can be reached at [email protected]
