Luis Edel Trujillo Pena, a 29-year-old resident of Miami, has pleaded guilty to charges of conspiracy, wire fraud, and aggravated identity theft. The announcement was made by United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg in Jacksonville, Florida. Pena could face up to 20 years in prison for wire fraud, up to five years for conspiracy, and a minimum of two years for aggravated identity theft. He is also required to pay restitution to the victims affected by his actions. A sentencing date has not been set.
Court documents reveal that Pena and his associates installed skimmers on gas pumps at stations across Alabama, Louisiana, and Northern Florida, including the Florida Panhandle. These devices illegally captured credit and debit card information from customers purchasing fuel. The stolen data was used to create counterfeit cards which were then distributed among the conspirators to purchase large quantities of diesel fuel.
The operation involved vehicles equipped with a fuel bladder system allowing them to appear as though they were filling up their tanks while actually storing the diesel in bladders. Law enforcement tracked these activities through analysis of fuel purchases, vehicle tracker data, surveillance footage from gas stations, and real-time monitoring of the suspects. It was discovered that after acquiring the fuel from various locations in Northern Florida, Pena instructed his accomplices to transfer it into 9,500-gallon tanker trucks at a designated yard. The stolen diesel was then sold to a gas station linked with one of the co-conspirators.
In connection with this case, Deonelky Tabares Cid from Tampa has also pleaded guilty to conspiracy along with multiple counts of wire fraud and access device fraud as well as aggravated identity theft. His sentencing is pending.
Other individuals implicated in this scheme include Deyvis Hernandez (37), Luis Ernesto Vigil Ochoa (32), both from Miami; and Isvaldo Guerra Perdomo (38) from Jacksonville who are scheduled for trial in January 2025.
An indictment serves as a formal accusation indicating that an individual has violated federal criminal law; however, every defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
The investigation was conducted by several agencies including the Federal Bureau of Investigation; Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services; Florida Highway Patrol; Jacksonville Sheriff's Office; U.S. General Services Administration - Office of Inspector General; and U.S. Secret Service – Jacksonville Field Office. Assistant United States Attorney Kevin C. Frein is prosecuting the case.