Prosecutors charge trio in identity theft ring that netted $2 million

Prosecutors charged a trio of suspected identity thieves each with nearly two dozen criminal charges Monday for allegedly taking $2 million by using credit card skimming technology at gas pumps.

Albert Jose Gonzalez, 39, of Lancaster, Josue Gustavo Albizuras, 42, of Los Angeles, and Cesar Vasquez Echeverria, 28, of Santa Clarita were arrested Feb. 25 after a three-year investigation by the L.A. County Sheriff’s Department and FBI. They face multiple counts of conspiracy, identity theft, grand theft and computer access fraud.

The suspects, who have pleaded not guilty and are being held in lieu of $2 million bail each, are accused of installing sophisticated skimming devices on computerized pay pumps at gas stations to record credit and debit card information and personal identifying numbers from unsuspecting customers.

The defendants later returned "to harvest the information" by downloading it to computers or other digital devices, said Jane Robison, a spokeswoman for the Los Angeles County District Attorney's office.

At the time of the arrests, authorities had recovered 10,000 stolen credit and debit card numbers, as well as computers, cellphones, digital storage devices and equipment designed to make and encode credit and debit cards. They also confiscated $40,000 in cash and luxury vehicles, including a new Porsche and a Ferrari.

If convicted on all counts, the men face a maximum sentence of up to 20 years in state prison.

-- Andrew Blankstein

Comments

[hwneal]

were arrested Feb. 25 after a three-year investigation by the L.A. County Sheriff’s Department and FBI following a three-year investigation.

isn't this part of paragraph one redundant?

[Off Center]

I wonder if this trio of bandito's are illegal or citizens?

[kuruc]

just illegal aliens doing jobs americans don't want to do.

[Major]

Are you kidding me, 3 years? We see clowns acting suspicious all the time around gas pumps on any given day and different locations, this bust wont even make a dent, it just informs the public unaware to stop using outside credit card machines and start taking your card inside. Gas stations should post camera's, warnings, or attendants outside to monitor their pumps, or pay the consequences of fraud victim.

[Dee]

Can you spell ILLEGAL?

[Charles Bell]

It doesn't appear that one can be too safe these days. Criminals are getting more and more resourceful. It's fortunate that they caught these people most are never caught.

[Garen]

Wow, it just amazes me that people can go through so much trouble to make money illegally. I honestly can't understand why they are going to put so much effort into making money illegally. They couldn't spend some time to make money legally. I guess they will pay for it in the end.

[rizzo]

It would be nice if the police would release a list of what gas stations these crooks had installed skimmers at.

[The cynic]

FYI, it's NOT just Latinos guilty of this kind of crime.....a few years back, there was a group of Armenians(probably here legally)who pulled off the same thing in the Glendale area.

[Johnny]

Three-year investigation?! Is there a reason these crooks were allowed to wreak havoc for THREE years before they got arrested?

Think of all the people that have been affected because of these crimes that will deal with years of financial consequences because of the three year investigation.

Why would they take three years to bring down 3 illegals? Can you say job security..., overtime, etc.

These crooks will be allowed to make bail due to jail overcrowding and then pull a Roman Polanski...this is our illustrious law enforcement system at work!

[John]

I was recently the victim of exactly this, and I am soooo cautious.

No one is interested in investigating these crimes on an individual basis, and the thieves know it.

@Major - 10 years ago I was carjacked. I reported my Mobil credit card stolen, but they reissued a card and applied it to the Key Fob pump activator that was also stolen. $850 worth of gas was charged at one station in 4 hours, and NO ONE, not Mobil Credit, nor the Police were willing to go to the station to investigate.

Tax write off for Mobil credit. Police, just too busy arresting people with marijuana in their pockets.

[MOESES]

jajajajajja....thats just goes to show how ignorant and stupid people are..you idiots get warned of the dangers of your identity being stolen...for all i care all you dumbasses better be careful or else this might happen to you... Albert your my heroe ...and by the way these fellas were not illegals ... they are all citizens of the good ol' U.S.A ... so stop blaming the wetbacks..where would an illegal have the money to buy all the sophisticated equipment that was used ??people just like to make stupid comments about the illegals .. if that was the case, then it would be easy for just anyone to do this ...these guys were meticoulus and very skillful.. i admire them ....
and does material things that were confiscated, what makes you think they didnt have other things hidden away somewhere else ...
i know i would have sent stuff other places ...
sheriffs and the fbi are all doops .... jajjajaj im still laughing ...