Counterfeiting, Fraud, and Drugs Earn Colorado Man 51 Months in Federal Prison

BOISE—Jeffrey Eugene Barfield, 50, of Thornton, Colorado, was sentenced today to 51 months in prison for mail fraud, dealing in counterfeit United States currency, and distributing oxycodone, U.S. Attorney Wendy J. Olson announced. U.S. District Judge John C. Coughenour also ordered Barfield to serve five years of supervised release following his prison term, pay $13,565 in restitution, and forfeit $4,000 of criminal proceeds and all property used to facilitate the crimes. Barfield pleaded guilty to the charges in December 2012.

According to the plea agreement, while serving a prison sentence in Colorado in January 2011, Barfield began planning a counterfeiting operation involving the trade of counterfeit United States currency for true currency, illegal drugs, and firearms. As part of the scheme, Barfield planned to manufacture the fake money and sell it to another person. Upon his release from prison and over the course of nearly six months, Barfield manufactured and sold $10,200 in counterfeit money. He delivered the fake money and 50 oxycodone pills across state lines to Idaho via the United States Postal Service. The person receiving the contraband reported it to law enforcement.

Barfield was arrested by state law enforcement officers in June 2012 for passing counterfeit bills at garage sales in Northglenn, Colorado. After being advised of his rights, Barfield told a United States Secret Service agent, “It was good for a long time but it’s over; I did it, I made it, and [an accomplice] and I spent them.” Barfield admitted to manufacturing the counterfeit Federal Reserve Notes he passed at the garage sales, as well as the counterfeit Federal Reserve Notes he mailed across state lines. Barfield further described how he and an accomplice passed multiple counterfeit bills throughout the Denver area by purchasing items at local Home Depot and Lowe’s stores, which they would then return for genuine cash. Barfield admitted that he and an accomplice would “hit” one to two stores per day approximately one to two times per week.

The case was investigated by the United States Secret Service, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and United States Postal Inspection Service.