MEXICO — Law enforcement agencies working together charged two Bethel residents Tuesday with using counterfeit $20 bills in Mexico and Bethel.

Shannon Long, 18, and Jason Heath, 25, both of Bethel, were charged with aggravated forgery, which is a Class B offense punishable by five to 10 years in jail, Mexico police Lt. Roy Hodsdon said.

Long was released from the Oxford County Jail on $300 bail, he said. Heath was issued a summons.

Oxford County Sheriff’s Department Deputy Dennis Ryder took a report during the first week of September of a counterfeit bill that was used at The Big Apple in Bethel, Hodsdon said. Ryder had no leads or suspects until Hodsdon notified him of a report of another counterfeit bill used at Food Trend in Mexico on Sept. 3.

“We worked together and reviewed video footage from Food Trend to make positive identification on a vehicle and driver,” Hodsdon said. “We were able to conclude that Long and Heath were the suspects we had been looking for.”

Hodsdon said the two did not believe using one or two counterfeit bills was considered a serious charge.

“It doesn’t matter if you use one counterfeit bill or a hundred, the charges are still the same and the consequences are just as severe,” he said.

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