On Saturday morning, April 26th, two reports of an unidentified woman in an orange sweatshirt passing counterfeit $20 bills at several White City businesses was received by Jackson County Sheriff’s Office White City deputies at approximately 8:30am.
Surveillance footage identified the suspect vehicle as a silver 2005 Toyota Camry with a California license plate.
The vehicle was located by deputies just after 10:00am, unoccupied in the Medford Hobby Lobby parking lot and surveillance was initiated by deputies before the suspects, identified as 42 year old Samantha Jo Ann O’Neil and her daughter, 18 year old Jamie Aileen O’Neil, were both arrested as they approached the car.
After the arrest, Jackson County Sheriff’s Deputies served a search warrant on the suspects’ car and numerous counterfeit bills were located in the vehicle along with printed sheets of uncut counterfeit money.
The businesses identified as victims so far are the Medford Hobby Lobby, and the White City locations of Dutch Bros, McDonalds, and Starbucks.
According to the report, the two traveled from Lodi, California on Wednesday April 23rd, and deputies believe there are likely more victims along their way. Both Samantha Jo Ann O’Neil and her daughter, Jamie Aileen O’Neil were taken into custody and lodged in the Jackson County Jail. Both were charged with three counts of first-degree forgery, three counts of third-degree theft, 10 counts of criminal possession of a forged instrument, and three counts of criminal possession of a forgery device.
Additionally, Samantha had 7.2 grams of methamphetamine and a meth pipe concealed on her person and was charged with unlawful possession of meth.
This case is under further investigation, there is no more information available for release at this time.
