Two California residents arrested on forgery charges - News - MailTribune.com - Medford, OR

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Two California residents arrested on forgery charges Brandon Dale Birdsong Friday Feb 24, 2017 at 3:50 PM Feb 24, 2017 at 4:25 PM Ryan Pfeil Mail Tribune @RyanPfeil Police arrested two California residents on several forgery charges Thursday night after the pair allegedly tried to make a purchase at a Dutch Bros Coffee stand with a bogus $20 bill, and were found to have more fake bills in their hotel room. Phoenix police responded to the coffee stand, located at the corner of North Main Street and North Phoenix Road, at about 8:15 p.m. following a report of two people attempting to use the counterfeit currency, according to a news release. Suspects Brandon Dale Birdsong, 40, and Courtney Bettencourt, 31, both of Modesto, California, had already left the scene, but a Dutch Bros employee had taken down a description of their vehicle and the license plate number, and had given the information to dispatch. A responding officer found the vehicle on Highway 99 near Matt Loop in Medford and pulled the vehicle over. Medford police, the Jackson County Sheriff's Department and Talent police also responded to the scene. Birdsong was arrested at about 8:30 p.m., but Bettencourt "gave a false name and eventually left on foot" according to a probable cause affidavit. Talent police later located her and arrested her at 9:39 p.m. Further investigation led police to the hotel room where both suspects were staying, finding "ink, copiers, paper and pages of counterfeit bills," the affidavit said.  Birdsong remained in the Jackson County Jail Friday on $35,500 bail, but Bettencourt was no longer listed there, according to jail records. Both were arraigned in Jackson County Circuit Court Friday on charges of first-degree forgery, second-degree forgery, possession of a forgery device, possession of a forgery instrument and possession of methamphetamine, according to court records. — Reach reporter Ryan Pfeil at 541-776-4468 or [email protected]. Follow him at www.twitter.com/ryanpfeil.