Two accused of counterfeiting after store incident

Columbus police arrested two people after counterfeit money was found during a traffic stop Thursday evening.

Officers were called to a store on North National Road at about 7 p.m. that night on a report of two people acting suspiciously inside the store. An officer followed the suspects’ vehicle as it left the parking lot and determined that the license plate had been stolen from Noblesville earlier this year.

The two suspects, 34-year-old John M. Sebastian and 29-year-old Tawnee F. Lathrop were taken into custody. A search of the vehicle and the suspects uncovered counterfeit money in the glove compartment and in Lathrop’s purse. Officers also located methamphetamine, a scanner/printer, several printer cartridges, and a paper cutter inside the vehicle.

Lathrop is facing preliminary charges of theft, forgery or counterfeiting and possession of methamphetamine. Sebastian is accused of theft, false informing, forgery or counterfeiting and was also wanted on a Marion County warrant.