A man and his mother were arrested Wednesday for allegedly using counterfeit money to purchase items at several local businesses and on Craigslist.

Andrew Sandoval, 24, is charged with 147 counts of forgery, six counts of fraud, and conspiracy to commit racketeering. His mother, Sandra Marie Sandoval, 47, is charged with 34 counts of forgery, four counts of fraud and conspiracy to commit racketeering.

Another man who allegedly was part of the ring, Joseph Lyons, 51, is charged with 63 counts of forgery, five counts of fraud and conspiracy to commit racketeering.

According to police documents, the Sandovals and others targeted local Walmart, Target and Kmart locations to launder the counterfeit bills. A cashier at one of the stores said she was given a $200 gift certificate after allowing Andrew Sandoval purchase about $1,000 worth of merchandise with counterfeit bills.

Another cashier said she was threatened and told by a man that she did not know to help him and his family or he would harm her, according to the police documents. She was told to not scan merchandise into the register during transactions.

She also accepted counterfeit money for some of the transactions, but denied knowing the money was fraudulent.

Surveillance video from the stores captured Andrew Sandoval and others making the alleged transactions at the various stores.

Other alleged victims also contacted police regarding items they had sold on Craigslist to a man who paid them with counterfeit money. The victims were able to identify Andrew Sandoval through a photo lineup.

The Sandovals and Lyons were each being held Thursday at the Metropolitan Detention Center.

All three were each being held in lieu of $100,000 bonds, according to jail records.

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Albuquerque police have identified a man who was shot by police Friday after he eluded officers by climbing onto a home rooftop.

Wayne Cordova, 22, who is accused of stealing a vehicle and threatening two school employees, caused three schools to be placed on lockdown Friday. He remained at the University of New Mexico Hospital in critical condition on Saturday.

Cordova has a laundry list of prior arrests for numerous charges including battery on a police officer, receiving and/or transfering a stolen vehicle, shoplifting, robbery, possession of stolen property, commercial burglary, and taking drugs into a jail, according to Albuquerque Police Department records.

"This is another unfortunate example of the type of a property crime criminal that the men and women of APD have to deal with all too often," Albuquerque Police Chief Ray Schultz said. "There is no reason for Cordova to be on the streets with 11 prior arrests. Everytime I see rap sheets like Cordova's I get angry and disappointed with the continued failures in the criminal justice system."

Wayne Cordova

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