MARTIN COUNTY, Fla. (CBS12) — Every counterfeit $20 bill passed at Taco Bell, 7-Eleven, and other shops carried the same serial number — a clue detectives say led to the arrest of a 22-year-old man.
According to the Martin County Sheriff’s Office, Dequan Antonio Johnson Jr. was part of a scheme that spanned at least seven separate incidents across Martin County throughout November 2025, all involving counterfeit $20 bills marked with the serial number PE69911324G.
January 29, 2026, deputies say 22‑year‑old Dequan Antonio Johnson Jr. was arrested in Martin County after investigators linked him to a series of counterfeit $20 bills passed at businesses including Taco Bell and 7‑Eleven, all carrying the same serial number that ultimately tied the cases together. (Martin County Sheriff’s Office){ }
Detectives said surveillance footage, eyewitness accounts, and fixed traffic camera data connected Johnson to each incident, as well as to the repeated use of a white Nissan Sentra that appeared in every case.
The investigation began on November 13, when deputies were called to a Taco Bell on South Kanner Highway after employees reported receiving four counterfeit bills two days earlier. A manager told deputies a white sedan came through the drive-thru with three occupants, and both the driver and a backseat passenger handed over $20 bills that later tested counterfeit. An employee recorded the vehicle as it sped away, capturing a clear view of the license plate.
Hours later, Port St. Lucie Police issued a BOLO for a suspect who passed a counterfeit $20 bill at Crumbl Cookies. That bill also carried the same serial number. Detectives compared surveillance images from Taco Bell with arrest records and identified Johnson—who a Miami detective later positively confirmed—as the driver in the video.
Investigators soon connected Johnson and an associate, Javone Marques Taylor, to additional incidents at Wawa, Dunkin’, Crumbl Cookies, and other locations between November 8 and November 23. In many cases, the suspects bought inexpensive items or gift cards and received cash back, a pattern detectives say was consistent with attempts to swap counterfeit bills for genuine currency. Every recovered bill displayed the same serial number, further linking the crimes.
One of the most significant incidents occurred on November 23, when six counterfeit $20 bills were used during a series of purchases at a 7-Eleven on Martin Highway. The cashier described the men as two Black males in their early 20s, one wearing a red shirt and another with distinctive, taller hair. Investigators say surveillance footage showed the same white Nissan Sentra entering and leaving the area during the timeframe of the transactions.
Later, detectives traced the same suspect to the Wawa on Martin Highway, where he entered the store but left abruptly after an employee recognized him from an earlier counterfeit money case on November 11. The clothing seen in the Wawa footage matched what was worn at 7-Eleven shortly before.
Throughout the month, fixed surveillance cameras across the county repeatedly showed the white Sentra entering Martin County only on the dates the counterfeit bills were passed and departing shortly afterward. Combined with eyewitness descriptions, store surveillance footage, and the positive ID from a Miami detective familiar with Johnson, investigators concluded there was probable cause for his arrest.
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A judge approved the arrest warrant on December 18, 2025, ordering Johnson held on eight charges, including six counts of uttering a forged bill, one count of organized fraud under $20,000, and one count of first-degree petit theft. He was later arrested on January 22, his total bond was set at $72,500, and the warrant ordered that he be held without bond until his first appearance.
According to the affidavit’s personal information sheet, Johnson is a Hallandale Beach resident and has tattoos on his neck and right forearm, features that matched descriptions provided by witnesses.
Law enforcement agencies are continuing to review additional surveillance and reports from surrounding jurisdictions to determine if other incidents may be connected.