Three high school students charged with having counterfeit bills, police say

Three Uniondale High School students have been charged with possessing fake $20 bills that they gave to other students at school, Nassau police said Tuesday.

According to detectives, Melvin Pineda, 17, of Uniondale; Teisean Kemp, 16, of Uniondale; and Kquamel Jones, 16, of Hempstead, handed out the counterfeit bills to other students on March 11 while at school. Police also said that on Sunday, Pineda made a purchase at BJ's Wholesale Club located at 3635 Hempstead Tpke. using fake bills.

The students were arrested at Uniondale High School on Tuesday, police said, and Jones was found to have 10 counterfeit $20 bills at the time of arrest.

Pineda, of 892 Spring Ave., is being charged with 15 counts of criminal possession of a forged instrument. Jones, of 115 Terrace Ave., is being charged with 10 counts of criminal possession of a forged instrument. Kemp, of 429 Cedar St., is being charged with three counts of criminal possession of a forged instrument.

All three are scheduled to be arraigned on Wednesday in First District Court in Hempstead.