Police say Waukegan man mailed fake cash, had pot

A Waukegan man was ordered held on $300,000 bond Saturday after police said they found 4 pounds of marijuana inside his house.

Police had gone to the residence of Mateo Ambriz-Lopez, 23, after he was arrested for allegedly trying to ship a box full of counterfeit money to Arizona.

Lake County Assistant State's Attorney Marc Bangser said a shipping company called police after finding $7,250 in counterfeit $50 bills and a small amount of marijuana inside a package.

Records indicated Ambriz-Lopez had dropped off the package, Bangser said, so police had the shipping company call him and tell him he had neglected to fill out a form.

When Ambriz-Lopez arrived to fill out the form, police took him into custody and went to search his house in the 1300 block of Judge Place.

Inside the house, police discovered 4 pounds of marijuana and a package identical to the one Ambriz-Lopez had dropped off to be mailed, Bangser said.

Bangser said Ambriz-Lopez said he had been paid $1,600 in real money to mail the counterfeit money and that the 4 pounds of marijuana found in his house had been mailed to him in the box police also found there.

Bangser said Ambriz-Lopez told police he had been mailed a package of 10 pounds of marijuana a few weeks ago from the same Arizona address he was shipping the fake money.

Associate Judge Charles Johnson told Ambriz-Lopez he faces up to 15 years in prison if convicted of possession of marijuana with the intent to deliver and another five years if convicted of forgery.

Bangser said Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials have placed a hold on Ambriz-Lopez for suspected immigration violations, so he will not be released from custody even if he can post the $30,000 needed for bond.

Johnson ordered Ambriz-Lopez to appear in court again April 1.