A Yamhill County grand jury has indicted two people accused of manufacturing counterfeit $100 bills and using them to buy gift cards at Safeway stores across Oregon, the Oregon Department of Justice announced on September 17.

The alleged counterfeit instrument was the cash used for the purchases. The announcement does not say that the gift cards themselves were counterfeit or that their balances were drained.

The department identified the defendants as Mark Melendez and Heather Fawcett. Both face multiple charges related to manufacturing and using counterfeit currency; the charges are allegations, and both are presumed innocent unless proven guilty.

Safeway's Organized Retail Crime team initially identified the suspects and referred the matter to the department, according to the official account. The investigation involved the Yamhill County District Attorney's Office, the county sheriff and Safeway's team.

Investigators executed search warrants at both defendants' residences and seized chemicals, printers and digital devices that they say were used to produce counterfeit currency.

The release does not disclose the number or value of gift cards purchased, identify their issuing brands or report a financial-loss total. The new development is the indictment following the multi-agency investigation.