RUTHERFORD COUNTY, N.C. (WSPA) – Three people were arrested for a scam that was committed in multiple states including North Carolina.

On Wednesday, Feb. 26, deputies with the Rutherford County Sheriff’s Office responded to multiple Dollar Generals in reference to suspects that had paid with fake $50 bills.

The suspects had obtained approximately $1,500 from the multiple locations that they had visited according to deputies.

The next day, authorities were able to obtain video surveillance from the Dollar Generals and contact nearby agencies to make them aware of the scam.

Further into the investigation, deputies were able to identify a potential suspect vehicle. The sheriff’s department was able to utilize Flock technology from the Forest City Police Department and the Cleveland County Sheriff’s Office to obtain more information. 

Through the technology, investigators determined that the suspect vehicle was a 2012 Toyota Camry displaying an Illinois license plate. 

After identifying the vehicle, detectives learned that the suspects had been committing the same scam in multiple states including Illinois, Missouri, Kentucky, Tennessee, North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia.

As a result of this investigation, officials were able to identify the suspects as 25-year-old Nestor Julio Godoy Rivero, of Chicago, IL, 22-year-old Yubeinya Abril Narcise Quintana, of Chicago, IL and 24-year-old Esteban Marcelo Mijares, of Chicago, IL.

They were all three charged with six counts of possession of five or more counterfeit instruments, obtain property by false pretense and felony conspiracy.

Each individual is currently incarcerated in Indiana according to the sheriff’s office.

The case remains an ongoing investigation.