BEAUMONT, Texas – A Cuban national residing in Groves, Texas has been sentenced for federal violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Brit Featherston today.
Orlando Enrique Quesada-Oliva, 25, pleaded guilty on Feb. 10, 2022 to conspiracy to commit access device fraud and aiding and abetting aggravated identity theft and was sentenced to 30 months in federal prison today by U.S. District Judge Michael Truncale.
According to information presented in court, on Jan. 27, 2017, an officer with the Nacogdoches Police Department conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle driven by Victor Entenza, 30, and occupied by Ricardo Chavez-Travieso, 29, and Oliva, all Cuban nationals. After the officer discovered a discarded credit card on the ground, near where the driver had been, a search of the vehicle was conducted. A notepad was found that listed various gas stations in Texas, Tennessee, and Alabama. The search also produced numerous cell phones, a laptop computer and tape used as a security seal/tamper indicator for gas station fuel pumps. The officer also located a card skimmer, an encoder, a key used to open gas pumps and credit cards located in hidden compartments within the vehicle. Credit card information for a total of nine individuals, other than the occupants of the vehicle, was found either on the computer or in the vehicle. Oliva was indicted on Oct. 8, 2020. Oliva is the last of the three defendants to be sentenced. Entenza and Travieso, were both previously sentenced to 30 months on the same counts.
“Typically, a skimmer, such as the one found in this case, is placed inside a gas pump and used by criminals to collect credit card information from victims using the pump,” said U.S. Attorney Brit Featherston. “The intended gas purchase will proceed without interruption of any kind or any notification to the victim or third party,” Featherston added. “A single gas station skimmer is capable of storing credit card information for hundreds of victims.”
This case was investigated by the Nacogdoches Police Department and Homeland Security Investigations and prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Tommy Coleman.
###