Charges against Ryan Martin, of Pitman, for passing counterfeit bills at a Washington Township restaurant were affirmed on Monday.
The following information comes from the Gloucester County Prosecutor’s Office:
A state appeals court affirmed guilty verdicts against Ryan T. Martin, 33, of Pitman, on charges of passing two counterfeit $20 bills at a Washington Township fast-food restaurant in September 2011 and altering currency.
Martin was sentenced on May 1, 2015, to concurrent four-year state prison sentences on the convictions.
In an appeal, Martin contended the jury verdicts resulted from inadequate legal instructions the jury received and prejudicial testimony about drugs found in an apartment where counterfeiting equipment was found.
The appellate court disagreed, noting the written instructions the jury was given “cleared any confusion” about the applicable law, and the court also cited the prosecution’s “strong case” of Martin’s involvement with a codefendant in the counterfeiting. In light of the strength of the state’s case, the drug testimony did not affect the jury verdict, the appeals judges said.
Former Assistant Gloucester County Prosecutor Vanessa Craveiro wrote the brief opposing the appeal.
