Bradenton Beach police arrested two Sarasota residents Nov. 5 for alleged armed burglary.
Kevin Downes, 39, and Christine Cicco, 35, also face charges of possession of instruments for forging paper currency, counterfeit bills, a controlled substance and drug paraphernalia.
BBPD Officers Eric Hill and Charles Marose responded to a burglary in progress in the 1200 block of Gulf Drive North after the property manager for the rental reported someone was occupying the home without a booking, according to the police report.
At the home, the officers contacted Downes, who said he made a reservation online and could furnish a receipt from his phone.
When Hill asked Downes if there were other people or weapons in the rental, Downes said there was a pistol and a woman, later identified as Cicco.
Inside the property, the officers reported they observed drug paraphernalia and an open bottle containing a white substance later identified as methamphetamine.
The officers also saw a laptop, a printer and several sheets of counterfeit $20 bills.
Downes and Cicco were arrested and taken to the Manatee County jail, where, as of Nov. 7, Downes was being held on a $25,000 bond and Cicco was being held on a $5,500 bond.
Both are scheduled for arraignment at 9 a.m., Friday, Dec. 2, at the Manatee County Judicial Center in Bradenton.
“It’s kind of an occurrence that’s starting to slowly happen around here, where we get homeless who check a door from a resort and find it open and they decide to go in and camp in there,” Bradenton Beach Lt. Lenard Diaz said Nov. 9.
Diaz said the amount of counterfeit money totaled a few hundred dollars and the Secret Service would not be involved.
If convicted of first-degree armed burglary, Downes could face up to life imprisonment.
Cicco is charged with second-degree armed burglary and, if found guilty, could face up to 15 years in prison or 15 years of probation and a $10,000 fine.
Cicco also is accused of giving a false name to police, a first-degree misdemeanor punishable by 365 days in jail and a $1,000 fine.
Downes and Cicco also face charges for alleged possession of instruments for forging bills, possession of counterfeit bills and possession of a controlled substance — all third-degree felonies punishable by up to five years in prison and a $5,000 fine.
They also face possession of drug paraphernalia, a first-degree misdemeanor with penalties up to 365 days in jail or 12 months’ probation and a $1,000 fine.