A Carlton man accused of manufacturing and passing counterfeit $20 bills is facing even more charges and is asking that all of his cases be heard before one judge, even though he is charged in both Carlton and St. Louis counties.
Aaron David Miller, 26, of Carlton was charged in Carlton County Court Monday, Jan. 7, with one gross misdemeanor count of uttering or possessing counterfeit currency. Miller also faces two felony charges in St. Louis County, including one count of counterfeiting of currency and one count of escape from custody. He now faces additional charges of manufacturing/printing counterfeit currency and possessing the means for false reproduction of counterfeit currency.
According to the most recent complaint filed in Carlton County:
On Dec. 1, 2012, the Cloquet Police Department learned that Miller was involved in passing counterfeit United States currency; they later learned that Miller had been producing $100, $50, and $20 U.S. bills using an HP printer/copier. Miller had also been passing counterfeit money in both Carlton and St. Louis counties.
On Dec. 19, officers obtained a search warrant for Miller's residence on Highway 210 in Carlton County. They found the printer/copier, resume paper and a copied $100 and $20 bill. Officers also discovered where Miller was burning the remaining paper after cutting out the counterfeit bill from the resume paper. They also found fishing line and clips used in drying the copied counterfeit currency.
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When officers interviewed Miller, the complaint states, he admitted to manufacturing and using approximately $6,000 in counterfeit currency. All of the $20 bills surrendered had the serial number of IB79466761E.
Miller faces the escape from custody charges in St. Louis County because he was transported to Essentia Health-St. Mary's Medical Center in Duluth on Jan. 6 for care after becoming sick while in custody there. During his time at the hospital, he walked away from the hospital despite the fact he had been ordered to remain there until he was picked up by Carlton County sheriff's deputies for a Jan. 9 court appearance. At that time, Judge Wolf issued a warrant for Miller's arrest.
According to a complaint filed in St. Louis County on Jan. 11, officers received a call from a male who told them he was staying at the Grand Motel in Duluth and there was a male named Aaron in his hotel room. The informant said the man had told him he was wanted by law enforcement, had warrants against him, and that he had counterfeit currency on him.
Officers responded to the motel room and were allowed inside. At that time they identified Miller, despite the fact he had shaved his head and was not wearing glasses as he had in the past.
When Duluth police officers prepared to take Miller into custody, he indicated that a black duffle bag on the floor was his. During the execution of a search warrant, officers located nine counterfeit $100 bills on Miller and another in the black duffle bag. Also inside the bag were a paper cutter, a ream of manila-colored paper, a computer printer ink cartridge, a ledger, a piece of paper with a cutout of a counterfeit bill, scissors, a long blonde wig, an Essentia Hospital patient band with Miller's name on it, four hypodermic needles, a tourniquet and other miscellaneous items.
In Carlton County Court Wednesday, St. Louis County Chief Public Defender Fred Friedman (on behalf of Miller's court-appointed attorney Kevin Cornwell) said Miller wanted to request one judge to hear all five charges against him, preferably in St. Louis County where he faces the more serious charges.
Assistant Carlton County Attorney James Ross objected, stating he had been informed by St. Louis County that they would release Miller if he were sent back there.
Judge Robert Macaulay pointed out Miller's previous felony escape, adding that he would not release Miller; rather, he would release him to be lodged in St. Louis County.
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After consulting privately with both attorneys, Macaulay said he would release Miller to St. Louis County with $36,000 bail. He said a St. Louis County judge could decide to hear all the cases or all five cases could be combined in Carlton County.
Pine Journal Publisher Wendy Johnson contributed to this story.
