All suspects in Southeast Missouri counterfeiting case in custody

The last two suspects in the counterfeiting ring that allegedly struck Cape Girardeau and other Southeast Missouri cities are now in custody.

Terry Hester, 27, and Darius Lankford, 28, are being held by the Madison County, Ala., sheriff and are scheduled to appear in federal court in Cape Girardeau on Feb. 29.

Lankford was arrested in Huntsville, Ala., on Nov. 13 on suspicion of robbery, while Hester was arrested on the same charge Jan. 6. Both are being held in the Madison County Jail, according to online Madison County jail records.

Terry Hester

Magistrate Judge Lewis Blanton issued a writ of habeas corpus ad prosequendum Thursday, ordering the Madison County sheriff to hand custody of Hester and Lankford over for to the U.S. Marshals for all federal court dates, according to a motion filed by federal prosecutor Paul Hahn.

Hahn has declined to comment on the case.

Lankford and Hester are the last of five alleged counterfeiters to begin federal court proceedings stemming from a slew of counterfeit bills that wound up in restaurants, supermarkets and clothing stores in Southeast Missouri.

Darius Robinson, 22, Brynet Trice, 19, and Jessica Gross, 25, are accused of manufacturing and using fake $10, $20 and $50 bills at businesses in Cape Girardeau, Dexter, Sikeston and Poplar Bluff in early October. Their trial is set to begin Feb. 21.

Robinson and Hester are accused of publishing and using fake $20 bills at Champs, a clothing store at West Park Mall in Cape Girardeau.

Trice, Hester, Gross and Lankford are all charged with publishing and using fake $10 bills at a Walmart in Poplar Bluff on Oct. 6.

Trice, Hester and Lankford are charged with publishing and using fake $20 bills at Goody's clothing store in Sikeston, a Save-A-Lot grocery store in Dexter and a Buffalo Wild Wings in Sikeston on Oct. 6.

The prosecution has counterfeit bills, video footage, receipts and merchandise allegedly purchased using the fake bills as evidence against Trice, Gross and Robinson, according to court documents. All three suspects waived their pretrial motions.

Evidence against Hester and Lankford has yet to be released. The two do not have attorneys, according to court documents.

According to federal guidelines, counterfeiting can land convicted offenders in a federal penitentiary for at least four months.

Eight instances of counterfeit bills in Cape Girardeau have occurred since October, but police are unsure whether they're all connected to the five suspects who were recently indicted. All bills obtained by police have been turned over to the Secret Service.

In several instances, authorities described the bills as poorly made.

psullivan@semissourian.com

388-3635

Pertinent address:

499 Independence St., Cape Girardeau, Mo.

3049 William St. Cape Girardeau, Mo.

333 S. Westwood Blvd., Poplar Bluff, Mo.

912 W. Business US Highway 60, Dexter, Mo.

1209 S. Main St., Sikeston, Mo.

231 N. Main St., Sikeston, Mo.