Counterfeit Scheme At Discovery Cafe Leads To Double Arrest

23 High Street's Joel Cortez-Garcia, 36, and Valentin Briones, 26, of Bridgeport, have been charged by the Stamford Police Department with first degree forgery for buying drinks at the Discovery Cafe with fake money. 

The arrests took place near-and-in 185 Stillwater Ave. at 12:28 a.m. on Tuesday.  "Briones and Cortez-Garcia went into the cafe earlier in the evening and paid for drinks with a $20 bill," SPD's Sgt. Lou Gurliacci said. "The bar staff detected that it was counterfeit cash."

According to the SPD's report of the incident, the bartender was able to discern that the payment was counterfeit due to "markings" that appeared on the bill after it was placed under light.

"They called the police, and the police caught Cortez-Garcia in the bar. Briones had already fled the bar," Gurliacci said. "They caught him on Stillwater Ave. There were 17 more false $20 bills on him."

Cortez-Garcia later stated that he couldn't pay his bar tab, so Briones gave him a $20 to cover him. Cortez-Garcia also claims that he did not know that Briones's money was counterfeit.

"The Secret Service is involved now," Gurliacci said.

Cortez-Garcia and Briones are both being held on $50,000 bonds, which they have not posted. They will appear in court Tuesday afternoon.