Colorado man sentenced in local counterfeiting case

Tony Christensen, 23, was sentenced on Tuesday to a total of 2-6 years in prison on a pair of attempted first-degree forgery convictions.

Cheyenne County District Court Judge Derek Weimer sentenced him to 1-3 years for each of the counts and ordered the terms be carried out consecutively – meaning back-to-back. Weimer said Christensen would be eligible for release in 12 months.

Last month, Christensen pleaded no contest to both charges.

He was arrested on Jan. 29 following a joint law enforcement investigation into counterfeit money being used at Cheyenne County businesses.

The Englewood, Colo., man has been in custody since his arrest, and was given credit for 166 days served.

Cheyenne County Attorney Paul Schaub said Tuesday that Christensen has a significant criminal history and had been placed on probation in Colorado in 2012 for drug charges. When arrested in Cheyenne County, the defendant was again on probation in Colorado – for possession of forgery instruments, the county attorney said.

“Anything less than incarceration would promote disrespect of the law,” Schaub told the judge.

Christensen’s attorney, Donald Miller, asked for a lighter sentence.

A term of probation would allow his client to return to Colorado, seek drug treatment and be reunited with his children, Miller explained.

What Christensen did was wrong, his attorney said, but he’s not a violent offender.

“Give him an opportunity,” he added.

Christensen then stood to address the court, apologizing for what he had done.

He said he had no excuse.

“I learned my lesson, I really did,” Christensen said, “if you can just give me a chance.”

Before announcing the sentence, Weimer told the defendant it was his own choices that put him before the court.

“You’ve had opportunities; you were on probation before,” Weimer said.

Following the hearing, Christensen was escorted from the courtroom by a Cheyenne County Sheriff’s deputy.

Christensen was arrested along with Briana Sifuentez, 19, of Sidney, earlier this year.

Surveillance camera footage from local businesses where counterfeit money had been passed led law enforcement officers to a residence near Dalton, according to a probable cause affidavit.

At the home, where Christensen and Sifuentez were reported to reside, police found numerous counterfeit bills in denominations ranging from $1 to $100, according to court documents.

Sifuentez was sentenced to 180 days in jail last month after she earlier pleaded no contest to two misdemeanors stemming from the case.

During Tuesday’s sentencing, Weimer noted Sifuentez does not have an extensive criminal history like that of Christensen.