Making Counterfeit Bills Leads To Conviction Of Spring Hill Man

SPRINGHILL, FL — United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announced that Derrick Kamran Collins, 31, Spring Hill has been found guilty of manufacturing counterfeit U.S. money, passing counterfeit bills and possession of counterfeit bills.

Collins faces up to 20 years in federal prison on each count and forfeiture of money he received from his criminal activities.

According to court documents, from 2017 to March 2019, Collins acted as the source of supply for counterfeit money for various people throughout Central Florida. After successfully passing counterfeit money at businesses, people would pay Collins a portion of the proceeds.

On March 26, 2019, the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle that contained several people, including Collins. During a search of the vehicle, officers recovered multiple counterfeit $100 bills throughout the vehicle and in the glove box.

On Nov. 21, 2019, around 1 a.m., the New Port Richey Police Department also conducted a traffic stop on a Dodge Charger driven by Collins who showed signs of being impaired. Collins refused to participate in field sobriety exercises and was arrested for DUI. During an inventory search of his Charger, police found several sheets of counterfeit $100 bills in the trunk of the car and downloaded onto computers. In the car’s glove box, officers located completed counterfeit bills as well as proceeds bundled together.

The case against Collins was part of a long-term investigation into counterfeit bills being passed in New Port Richey and North Florida. To date, Collins is the fourth person prosecuted in connection with this counterfeit.

In February 2020, Charles Alexander Coriaty III of Tampa was sentenced to 16 months in federal prison for passing counterfeit bills supplied by Collins and was ordered to pay restitution to the businesses that he defrauded.

In June 2020, Brett Lawrence Rozenburgh of Tampa was sentenced to 13 months in prison for passing counterfeit bills supplied by Collins and was also ordered to pay restitution to the businesses that he defrauded.

And in September 2020, Samantha Jade Falcone of Tampa was sentenced to two years of federal supervision for passing counterfeit bills supplied by Collins and was ordered to pay restitution to the businesses that she defrauded.

This case was investigated by the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, the New Port Richey Police Department and the United States Secret Service.