(WHDH) — State Police say they have arrested three people after a high-speed chase on Monday night resulted in counterfeit $100 bills being found.
Police say a state trooper on I-93 in Wilmington saw a black Acura TLX with flashing blue lights and a New York plate. The car was changing lanes at speeds estimated to be higher than 110 miles per hour.
The trooper determined the vehicle was not a police vehicle and attempted to stop the car as it got onto I-495 South. The vehicle refused to stop, and a pursuit was organized.
The vehicle was pursued for around 10 miles before it eventually stopped near Exit 34 in Chelmsford. The troopers removed three men from the car and handcuffed them. Those men were identified as Kevin Portalatin, 27 of the Bronx, NY; Samuel Morales, 38 of the Bronx, and Yefri Arias-Rodriguez, 22, of the Bronx.
The driver, Portalatin, told the trooper he was a volunteer police officer and he thought the troopers were helping him. He also said the group was coming from Lawrence. He later said the men were rappers from New York and they were on their way to a show.
Officers searched the vehicle and found a box of $100 bills they believed to be counterfeit. They also found three bottles of pepper spray and a radio that scans police frequencies.
An agent from the US Secret Service interviewed the men at the Andover State Police barracks and also confirmed the bills were counterfeit.
Portalatin was charged with impersonating a police officer, unlawful use of blue lights, possession of counterfeit notes, failure to stop for police, speeding, and marked lanes violation. Morales and Arias were each charged with possession of counterfeit notes.
(Copyright (c) 2025 Sunbeam Television. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)