Luis Edel Trujillo Pena, a 29-year-old from Miami, has pled guilty to conspiracy, wire fraud, and aggravated identity theft, according to US Attorney Roger B. Handberg. Pena faces up to 20 years in jail for wire fraud, up to 5 years for conspiracy, and at least two years for identity theft, as well as compensation payments to victims.
Court filings show that Pena and his co-conspirators planted skimmers on petrol stations throughout Alabama, Louisiana, and Northern Florida, including the Florida Panhandle. Pena and his co-conspirators used these devices to fraudulently acquire credit and debit card information from individuals purchasing gasoline. Pena used the stolen information to create counterfeit cards, which he circulated to purchase a substantial amount of diesel. The conspirators siphoned fuel from automobiles equipped with a gasoline bladder system, transported it to 9,500-gallon tanker trucks, and sold it to a co-conspirator’s gas station.
Deonelky Tabares Cid, a 36-year-old Tampa resident, has also pled guilty to related counts and faces punishment. Deyvis Hernandez, Luis Ernesto Vigil Ochoa, and Isvaldo Guerra Perdomo will face trial in January 2025. Multiple agencies, including the FBI and the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, undertook the investigation, and Assistant US Attorney Kevin C. Frein is prosecuting the case.