U.S. Attorney Roger Handberg of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida, Jacksonville, has indicted five individuals with conspiracy, four counts of wire fraud, 15 counts of access device fraud and three counts of aggravated identity theft in connection with their alleged participation in a multi-state pump skimming device conspiracy involving the theft of diesel fuel.
The individuals are Luis Edel Trujillo Pena (29, Miami), Deyvis Hernandez (37, Miami), Luis Ernesto Vigil Ochoa (32, Miami), Isvaldo Guerra Perdomo (38, Jacksonville, Florida) and Deonelky Tabares Cid (36, Tampa, Florida).
If convicted, each faces up to 20 years in federal prison for each count of wire fraud, up to 10 years’ imprisonment for each count of access device fraud, up to five years in prison on the conspiracy count, a consecutive minimum mandatory penalty of two years’ imprisonment for each aggravated identity theft count and payment of restitution to the victims they defrauded.
According to court documents, the individuals worked together and with others to place skimmers on gas pumps at gas stations and convenience stores in the north Florida area and other states. Using the account numbers stolen by the skimmers, they made counterfeit credit and debit cards and then used them to purchase primarily diesel fuel.
Utilizing vehicles with a bladder-like container to pump the fraudulently purchased diesel fuel into, the conspirators would offload the stolen fuel into containers at a fuel yard. The stolen fuel was then sold to a gas station associated with one of the co-conspirators.
An indictment is a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, the Florida Highway Patrol, the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, U.S. General Services Administration Office of Inspector General and the U.S. Secret Service Jacksonville Field Office all investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin Frein will prosecute the case.
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