Four Florida residents sentenced for fraud charges involving gas station skimmers

U.S. Attorney’s Office, Northern District of West Virginia
3 October 2018

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Four Florida residents were sentenced today to a combined 297 months incarceration for their involvement with a gas station skimming fraud scheme, United States Attorney Bill Powell announced.

Meylan Montalvo Gomez, of Hialeah, Florida, age 27, was sentenced to 57 months incarceration. Gomez pled guilty to one count each of “Conspiracy to Commit Access Device Fraud” and one count each of “Access Device Fraud-Use of Unauthorized Access Device” in June 2018.

Yosan Pons Sosa, of Miami, Florida, age 29, was sentenced to 46 months incarceration. Sosa pled guilty to one count each of “Conspiracy to Commit Access Device Fraud” and one count each of “Access Device Fraud-Use of Unauthorized Access Device” in June 2018.

Lazaro Serrano Diaz , of Miami, Florida, age 27, was sentenced to 57 months incarceration. Diaz pled guilty to one count each of “Conspiracy to Commit Access Device Fraud” and one count each of “Access Device Fraud-Use of Unauthorized Access Device” in June 2018.

Naudi Reyes Fernandez, of Miami, Florida, age 37, was sentenced to 51 months incarceration. Fernandez pled guilty to one count of “Conspiracy to Commit Access Device Fraud” and one count of “Access Device Fraud-Possession of Device-Making Equipment” in June 2018.

Each admitted to their roles in a conspiracy spanning four states that involved using skimming devices at gas pumps, using technology to upload the account information, and creating fraudulent cards with said accounts to make unauthorized transactions at different businesses in West Virginia and elsewhere.

The court calculated the intended loss as approximately $1,000,000 based upon the fact that when the defendants were arrested, they were found with a laptop containing over 2,000 different debit and credit card numbers.

The court applied a sentencing enhancement based upon the sophistication of the offense. This was based in part on the use of blue tooth capable skimming devices which they had placed inside gas pumps to remotely obtain the card numbers.

The judge also ordered each defendant to pay $33,750. The judge also ordered restitution in the amount of $61,844.56.

Forfeiture of the following was also ordered:

a. approximately thirty-three (33) gift cards containing an unknown value;
b. approximately $72,495.73 in United States Currency;
c. approximately $28,498.00 worth of Western Union money orders;
d. approximately $10,300.00 worth of MoneyGram money orders;
e. one magnetic stripe card reader-writer-encoder
f. two laptops
g. six cell phones

Assistant U.S. Attorney Jarod J. Douglas prosecuted the cases on behalf of the government. The Federal Bureau of Investigation, United States Secret Service, West Virginia State Police and the Monongalia County Sheriff’s Office investigated.

Senior U.S. District Judge Irene M. Keeley presided.