DENVER – Robert Stephen Lux, age 39, and a resident of Las Vegas, was sentenced yesterday to serve 37 months in federal prison for making, passing or possessing nearly $14,000 in counterfeit money and possessing digital images of currency, announced U.S. Attorney Jason Dunn and U.S. Secret Service Denver Assistant Special Agent in Charge Matthew Cybert.  Lux appeared at the sentencing hearing in custody and was remanded at its conclusion.

The defendant was indicted by a federal grand jury on October 24, 2018.  He pled guilty to all 47 counts as charged by the grand jury on March 12, 2019.  He was sentenced yesterday, June 25, 2019.

According to court documents, including the stipulated facts contained in the plea agreement, on September 21, 2018, the U.S. Secret Service was contacted by the Castle Rock Police Department about two people whom they had arrested for trying to use counterfeit money at a Kohl’s store.  Arrested were Lux, who was charged in U.S. District Court in Denver, and Jessica Wright, who was charged in state court.  During a search of Lux’s vehicle incident to arrest officers found counterfeit money that did not have the correct watermark; there were no embedded fibers in the paper; the money had no color shifting ink, and the coloring and feel of the paper were not correct. 

In addition to the counterfeit money, authorities found two HP printers, multiple USB thumb drives with digital images of U.S. money on them, a computer, a cell phone, and various receipts from retail stores, including Kohls, Walmart and Best Buy. 

“We must protect the integrity of our currency, to include prosecuting those who try to duplicate it,” said U.S. Attorney Jason Dunn. 

“Counterfeit U.S. currency is a continued threat to the U.S. financial system, and the Secret Service will aggressively pursue those responsible for its production and possession,” said U.S. Secret Service Denver Assistant Special Agent in Charge Matthew Cybert. “Furthermore, the Secret Service commends the diligent actions of the Castle Rock Police Department for initiating and assisting with this investigation.”

This case was investigated by the U.S. Secret Service and the Castle Rock Police Department.  The defendant was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Greg Holloway.