Eight accused counterfeiters appeared in a Minneapolis federal court Thursday and Friday on charges of circulating re-printed bills in southern Minnesota and the Twin Cities.

The members of the alleged counterfeit ring face charges of circulating altered U.S. currency to businesses along the Interstate 35 corridor between the Twin Cities and the Iowa border.

According to Federal court documents, Eric Michael Dorman, Dwayne Tampio, and Albert Leans Travis and Heather Cameron chemically washed $5 bills and reprinted them as $100 bills between Dec. 23, 2010, and June 21, 2011.

The Camerons and the other accused counterfeiters made small-dollar purchases at retail businesses with the altered bills in exchange for large amounts of change in genuine currency, according to court documents

Counterfeit money was passed in Austin, Albert Lea, Faribault, Owatonna, Mankato, Northfield, Dundas, Eagan and Burnsville, according to local court documents.

The counterfeit $100 bills would come back as a false positive when tested with a counterfeit pen.

Each defendant faces a potential maximum penalty of 20 years in prison on each uttering altered U.S. currency count. The potential maximum penalty for each of the additional charges is also 20 years.

The federal indictment was filed on Aug. 2 by a grand jury.

The federal charges come about two months after the Camerons were arrested in Albert Lea and charged in Freeborn County District Court with manufacturing counterfeit U.S. currency. At that time, Freeborn County prosecutors hinted toward possible federal charges.

Counterfeiting charges

•Albert Leans Travis Allen Cameron, 31, Heather Ann Cameron, 34, and Meranda Lynn O’Connor, 29: One count of uttering altered U.S. currency.

Travis and Heather Cameron also each face one additional count of altering U.S. currency and one count of dealing in altered U.S. currency. O’Connor faces a second count of uttering altered U.S. currency.

• Eric Michael Dorman, 34, of Fairmont: Two counts of uttering altered U.S. currency, one count of altering U.S. currency, one count of dealing in altered U.S. currency.

• Vincent Dwayne Tampio, 33, of Faribault: One count of uttering altered U.S. currency, one count of altering U.S. currency, one count of dealing in altered U.S. currency.

• Daniel Jay Wilson, 27, of Owatonna: One count of uttering altered U.S. currency.

• Sarah Ann Wood, 27, of Owatonna: One count of uttering altered U.S. currency.

• Dustin David Hanson, 34, of Northfield: One count of uttering altered U.S. currency.