Jacksonville, Florida — Luis Edel Trujillo Pena, 29, of 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. These devices were used to fraudulently acquire credit and debit card information from individuals purchasing gasoline. The stolen information was then used to make counterfeit cards, which Pena circulated to buy a huge amount of diesel. The conspirators used automobiles equipped with a gasoline bladder system to siphon fuel, which was then transported to 9,500-gallon tanker trucks and sold to a gas station owned by a co-conspirator.
Deonelky Tabares Cid, a 36-year-old Tampa resident, has also pled guilty to related counts and faces punishment. Meanwhile, Deyvis Hernandez, Luis Ernesto Vigil Ochoa, and Isvaldo Guerra Perdomo are slated to stand 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.
