Central Bucks Police. Photo by James Short.
The incidents occurred at two stores at Town Center in Bucks County
Central Bucks Regional Police Department have charged two out-of-state men with felony forgery offenses for allegedly attempting to pass off two $100 counterfeit bills during purchases at Autozone and Nico’s Pizza in New Britain Borough.
Joel Felix Gonzales Maldini, 30, of the 200 block of Emerson Ave., Patterson NJ, and Borris Alberto Ibarra Riojas, 29, of the 400 block of Liberty Street, Newburgh, NY, were each charged Dec. 5 with two felony counts each of forgery and conspiracy to commit forgery, misdemeanor counts of receiving stolen property, theft by deception and an associated conspiracy charge, and evading arrest on foot, and summary retail theft, according to charging documents.
On Dec. 5, police were dispatched to the pizza place at 416 Town Center, for a report of fraud. Authorities allege Maldini and Riojas entered Nico’s Pizza and paid for food with two fake $100 bills and received change for the balance owed.
The duo then left Nico’s Pizza and entered several other stores in Town Center, including attempting to pass another counterfeit $100 bill at AutoZone, police said. The employee flagged the bill and refused the sale, police said.
After this, the two left the store and the employees later found an open package that contained the window center punch that they allegedly attempted to purchase with the counterfeit bill.
As the fraud call was being reported from Autozone, an off-dauty New Britain Township detective attempted to stop a silver Hyundai Santa Fe with Florida registration in the parking lot, police said.
The detective activated his emergency light to stop the car, which came back as registered to Ibarra-Riojas, police said.
The vehicle stopped and both men fled the car toward the Shell gas station, police allege.
With the assistance of surrounding agencies, both men were found at the New Britain Inn and taken into custody, police said.
Both men were each jailed on 10% of $1 million cash bail, per court records. A preliminary hearing is set for Jan. 21 at 1:15 p.m. before Magisterial District Judge Regina Armitage.
All suspects and defendants are innocent until proven guilty. This story was compiled using public court records.
