2 held, 3 still sought over counterfeit bills passed in Poplar Bluff

POPLAR BLUFF, Mo. -- Two people are in custody and law enforcement officers are searching for three other people in connection with $10, $20 and $50 counterfeit bills that began turning up in area businesses Thursday.

Jailed in the Butler County Justice Center were Brynet Nicole Trice, 19, of Poplar Bluff and Darius Allen Robinson, 22, of Huntsville, Ala.

After receiving numerous complaints from area merchants about the counterfeit money, officers began distributing descriptions and images of the suspects and vehicle. The images were from store surveillance videos, said police chief Danny Whiteley, who also contacted the U.S. Secret Service for assistance.

Police officer Shonna Parrent recognized one of the women in the surveillance video as Brynet Trice.

Detective Greg Brainard and Secret Service agent James Dennis went to Trice's apartment, Whiteley said. As they spoke with her, three of her alleged co-conspirators arrived at the building and fled upon seeing investigators.

Whiteley said officers searched the area and found Darius Robinson. He was arrested after he swam across Black River in an effort to escape. When he was arrested, he had six counterfeit bills with him, Whiteley said.

During interviews, he said, Trice and Robinson identified three other people involved in the printing and passing of the counterfeit bills -- Jessica Gross, 25, Terry Hester, 27, both of the Poplar Bluff, and Darius Lankford, 28, of Huntsville.

Lankford is reportedly armed with a pistol and should be considered dangerous, Whiteley said.

Pertinent address:

Poplar Bluff, MO