Area man sentenced to four years house arrest
A Brownsville man was sentenced to four months’ house arrest and three years’ probation for his role in counterfeiting money. U.S. District Court Judge Gustave Diamond handed down the sentence against Patrick Marinelli, 20, on Wednesday. Marinelli pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit counterfeiting earlier this year.
In September 2005, he along with Larry Suba Jr., 25, of Vestaburg and Jason Chiera, 24, of Brownsville were charged in connection with the alleged counterfeiting. Suba and Chiera also have pleaded guilty to the charge, but neither has been sentenced.
Court records indicate that the men manufactured and passed the fake bills between July and August 2004.
They made the money using a scanner/printer/copier that belonged to Suba’s mother, according to court records. The men cut out the bills and wrinkled them so that they looked like real money, prosecutors alleged.
Authorities believe the men used less than $1,000 of the money. As part of Suba’s sentence, he has agreed to forfeit the equipment used to make the money.