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Six Arrested and One at Large for Card Skimming at Multiple Florida Gas Stations

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Attorney General Pam Bondi, Commissioner of Agriculture Adam H. Putnam and Florida Department of Law Enforcement Commissioner Rick Swearingen today announced six arrests in connection to a credit card skimming scheme. According to the investigation, the defendants installed multiple skimming devices at various gas stations in Pinellas and Hillsborough County. In just a three-week period, the defendants allegedly stole more than 40 credit card numbers, using skimming devices at more than a dozen gas stations. Card skimmers are devices that can be inserted or attached to payment terminals. Once in place, these skimmers are able to copy the payment information of cards that are swiped or inserted.
“Skimming devices installed at gas pumps can go undetected for weeks—giving criminals access to credit and debit card information of unsuspecting consumers,” said Attorney General Bondi. “Partnering with the Florida Department of Agriculture, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and local law enforcement agencies, arrests have been made and skimmers have been seized.”
“One skimmer can result in $1,000 per victim. When we first discovered these illegal skimmers on gas pumps, we worked with the Legislature to crack down on the criminals responsible. I’m grateful to Attorney General Bondi and the other agencies that partnered with us in this investigation,” said Commissioner of Agriculture Putnam.
“This was a devious scheme designed to take advantage of hard-working citizens legitimately using their credit cards. This type of fraud severely harms our economy and I am glad FDLE joined our law enforcement partners to help put an end to this illegal venture,” said FDLE Commissioner Swearingen.
The defendants, all Hillsborough County residents, allegedly used the skimmers to steal multiple credit card numbers, manufacture new cards and make fraudulent purchases—mostly fuel to fill retrofitted bladders on trucks. Criminals will often illegally modify vehicles to carry hidden containers that can store large amounts of fuel that is then resold on the black market.
Authorities arrested the following six defendants in connection to this criminal activity:

  • Yosmanis Alfonso Cruz, 34;
  • Elisio Omar Arbolaez Felipe, 47;
  • Yunierlys Gonzalez, 31;
  • Maykel Medina, 40;
  • Dasiel Parrado, 34; and
  • Dania Roig, 32.

An additional suspect, Jose A. Piniero, 48, remains at large in connection to this case.
The defendants face a range of charges including fraudulent use of personal identification information, fraudulent use of a credit card, fraudulent use of personal identification of another, forgery of credit card, use of a scanning device to defraud, organized scheme to defraud using electronic device and possession of counterfeit credit card. If convicted, Cruz, Felipe, Gonzalez and Medina all face up to 10 years minimum mandatory in prison.
Attorney General Bondi’s Office of Statewide Prosecution is prosecuting this case. In addition to FDLE, the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office and the Homeland Security Investigations assisted in the investigation.

Gov. Scott: Floridians Need to be Ready for Hurricane Season

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Disaster Preparedness Sales Tax Holiday Begins Tomorrow


Governor Rick Scott joined Secretary of Homeland Security John Kelly along with federal, state and local emergency response officials at the National Hurricane Center in Miami to kick off the 2017 hurricane season. Governor Scott also highlighted Florida’s disaster preparedness sales tax holiday which begins tomorrow June 2 and runs through June 4. The disaster preparedness tax cut holiday, signed into law by Governor Scott on May 25, 2017, will help Floridians save money as they purchase potentially lifesaving supplies. Hurricane season extends from June 1 through November 30, and represents the period when hurricanes are most likely to form in the Atlantic Ocean.
Governor Scott said, “Last year our state was impacted by two hurricanes for the first time in over a decade and luckily, we did not see damage like many of our neighboring states. Last week, I was proud to sign a tax cut package that includes a disaster preparedness sales tax holiday so families and businesses have additional opportunities to get the supplies they need to be prepared. With the 2017 hurricane season beginning today, I encourage all Floridians to take advantage of this weekend’s disaster preparedness sales tax holiday and ensure your family is safe.”
U.S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly said, “It only takes one hurricane to change your life.  If you – or a close family member – live in an area prone to hurricanes or inland flooding, now is the time to prepare. Know your risk and get prepared by downloading the FEMA App, making sure your flood insurance policy is up to date, and checking out ready.gov for tips on what to do before, during, or after a storm.”
Below outlines qualifying items for the disaster preparedness sales tax holiday:
Batteries (AA-cell, C-cell, D-cell, 6-volt, or 9-volt batteries)
for $30 or less
Nonelectric coolers for $30 or less for $20 or less
Reusable ice $10 or less
Portable self-powered radio, two-way radio, or weather band radio for $50 or less
Tarpaulin or flexible waterproof sheeting for $50 or less
First-aid kits (always exempt)
Ground anchor systems or tie-down kits for $50 or less
Gas or diesel fuel tanks for $25 or less
Portable generators for $750 or less
For more information, please visit floridarevenue.com.
Florida residents and visitors should develop a plan centered on self-sufficiency for the first 72 hours following a disaster so emergency responders can focus on restoring essential services and helping vulnerable populations. Families, businesses and individuals with special needs can design a personalized emergency plan at FLGetAPlan.com to prepare for or other disasters. The Florida Division of Emergency’s Management’s website, www.FloridaDisaster.org, also provides critical tips for disaster preparedness, such as local evacuation zones and basic information to ensure you are fully prepared for the 2017 hurricane season.
Florida Division of Emergency Management Director Bryan W. Koon said, “The 2017 Hurricane Season is upon us and Division staff has been working hard to make sure Floridians are ready. It’s never too early to begin preparing your business or family for a potential hurricane impact. Now is the right time, and the Governor’s tax holiday gives folks the opportunity to stock up on any helpful items still missing from their disaster supply kits.”
Major General Michael Calhoun, Adjutant General of Florida, said, “This past year, your Florida National Guard gained valuable experience responding to Hurricanes Hermine and Matthew, the first hurricanes to make landfall in this state since Wilma.  And I can assure you, and all the citizens of our great state, that we have only continued to build on the mission-focused teamwork that our state agencies and first responders demonstrated last year.”

Will Weatherford Endorses Jose Mallea

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The former House Speaker praises Mallea as a principled conservative
who will work hard for District 116 in the Florida House.

The Jose Mallea Campaign today announced the endorsement of Will Weatherford, former Speaker of the Florida House of Representatives. Mallea, a Republican, is running in the special election in District 116 to replace Jose Felix Diaz, who resigned to run for the Florida Senate. Weatherford joins a growing list of leading Florida Republicans supporting Mallea, including former Governor Jeb Bush, Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, and Congressman Carlos Curbelo.
“Jose Mallea is a principled conservative, committed to limited government and lower taxes,” said Weatherford. “I’ve known Jose for many years. He’s a strong leader with a solid work ethic who will promote policies to create jobs and safer communities. District 116 will be well served by his fresh, conservative voice in Tallahassee.”
Weatherford served eight years in the Florida House, where from 2012 to 2014 he was the youngest Speaker in America. He led the Florida House to work with the Senate to pass significant reforms, including historic improvements to Florida’s ethics and campaign finance laws. He also championed a Florida GI Bill, a significant expansion of school choice, and a $500 million tax cut.
“Speaker Weatherford is one of Florida’s most effective conservative leaders, and I am honored to have his support,” said Mallea. “I look forward to following his model of servant leadership and commitment to increasing opportunity for everyone by keeping taxes low and supporting pro-growth policies.”
Weatherford was named a “Rising Star” by the Conservative Political Action Conference, a “Champion of Economic Freedom” by Americans for Prosperity, and “Legislator of the Year” by the Florida Chamber of Commerce and the Florida Bankers Association. The Washington Post named him one of their “40 under 40” people in politics outside Washington.
The special primary election will be Tuesday, July 25, with the general election following on Tuesday, September 26.

Paid by Jose Mallea, Republican, for State Representative

Two Seminole State automotive professors named GM World Class Technicians

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Seminole State College of Florida professors (L-R) Jim Cokos and Carlos Vasquez
bring industry expertise to the Seminole State College automotive program.

Seminole State College of Florida now has two General Motors (GM) World Class Technicians (WCT) as part of its faculty. Automotive professors Jim Cokos and Carlos Vasquez recently achieved this elite status, joining the ranks of only 1,256 other technicians in the nation and only 27 technicians in Florida.
To achieve GM World Class status, a technician must be Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) Master certified and GM Master certified in eight technician areas. At a GM regional training center, each technician is required to perform a hands-on assessment in each of the eight areas. Each assessment takes one full day with a multitude of stations. In each area being assessed, the technician is given problematic vehicles, systems, sub-systems and components that they must diagnose or perform specific tasks on, in a timed environment.
This accomplishment shows the industry expertise that Seminole State faculty, including Cokos and Vasquez, contribute to their respective programs at the College.
“The automotive industry is in dire need of highly trained technicians,” says Cokos. “The technology is cutting edge and moving ahead quickly. To provide the best training possible, we, as instructors, must constantly train to keep up.”
Vasquez agrees, saying: “We must confront the rapidly developing technologies not only on vehicles, but also in the diagnostic equipment and training necessary to meet the growing demand in this profession. Today’s successful automotive technicians’ challenge is to stay ahead of the power curve in their respective manufacturers’ training path.”
In recognition of their elite status, Cokos and Vasquez will each receive a letter of recognition, a certificate signed by the presidents of ASE and the Auto Care Association, a statue and an embroidered shoulder insignia patch.
Seminole State College’s Automotive Program offers training in automotive repair, alternative fuels, automotive management and more. The program, which includes degree and certificate options, is accredited by the National Automotive Technicians Education Foundation (NATEF) and meets the requirements for Master Accreditation, the highest level of achievement recognized by NATEF. To learn more, visit seminolestate.edu/automotive, or call 407.708.2230.

Two-thirds of defective Takata airbags still not repaired

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Two thirds of the roughly 2.3 million vehicles in Florida with potentially deadly Takata airbags have not yet been repaired, according to new figures released today by U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson (D-FL).
The numbers provided to Nelson by the independent monitor appointed to oversee Takata’s handling of the recall show that approximately 30.4 million of the 46.2 million recalled inflators nationwide have not yet been repaired as of mid-May.
“It’s been two years since the first nationwide recall and we still can’t get these potentially deadly vehicles repaired fast enough,” said Nelson, the top Democrat on the Senate Commerce Committee. “We’ve got to pick up the pace on boosting production of replacement inflators and assisting consumers who need to get their vehicles fixed.”
The new numbers come just two weeks after four of the nation’s top automakers – Toyota, BMW, Subaru and Mazda – agreed to provide $533 million to owners of vehicles equipped with the faulty airbags.
A portion of that money will reportedly be used to encourage owners to bring their recalled vehicles in for repair.
To date, defective Takata airbags have been linked to as many as 16 deaths and more than 180 injuries worldwide.
In Florida, where heat and high humidity are thought to be contributing factors in the airbag failures, the new figures show automakers have repaired only 1 million of the roughly 3.1 million defective inflators believed to be in the state, which means there are still approximately 1.5 million vehicles in Florida with one or more unrepaired – and potentially deadly – airbag.
Nelson says the fact that the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has been without a leader since the new administration took office in January is only compounding the problem.
“We’re in desperate need of a leader who will commit to resolving this Takata mess,” Nelson said. “At the rate we’re going, we might land humans on Mars before all of these deadly inflators are off the road.”

Florida PSC Commission Conference set for Monday

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The Florida Public Service Commission (PSC) will hold a Commission Conference on Monday, June 5, 2017, at 1:30 p.m. Items scheduled for consideration can be found here. Public comment may be taken on any item noticed for public participation.
The Commission Conference is scheduled for the following time and location:

Monday, June 5, 2017
1:30 p.m.
Betty Easley Conference Center
Joseph P. Cresse Hearing Room (Room 148)
4075 Esplanade Way
Tallahassee, Florida

The Commission Conference will be broadcast on the Florida Channel (check your local listing) and is available online at htpp://www.floridapsc.com/ (Look for the Watch Live Broadcast” icon on the left side of the webpage).
For additional information, visit www.floridapsc.com.
Follow the PSC on Twitter, @floridapsc.

Gov. Scott Statement on Orlando International Airport Incident

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Governor Rick Scott today released the following statement regarding the incident at the Orlando International Airport this evening.
Governor Scott said, “I have remained in constant communication with City of Orlando Police Chief John Mina, Orange County Sheriff Jerry Demings, Florida Department of Law Enforcement Commissioner Rick Swearingen, and FDLE Special Agent in Charge Danny Banks regarding the incident tonight at Orlando International Airport. I want to thank law enforcement for their quick response and efforts to put the suspect in custody and keep families safe. The people of Orlando are lucky to have such dedicated officers protecting them each day.”
 

Jeff Ramsey Enters Race for Florida House

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Jeff Ramsey announced that he has filed to become a candidate for the Florida House of Representatives in District 51. Ramsey, a conservative Republican, is a teacher and Air Force veteran. The seat is currently held by Representative Tom Goodson, who will not be seeking reelection in 2018 due to term limits.

Jeff Ramsey

“I have spent my career fighting to make sure our country stays free and safe for future generations, and I look forward to continuing the fight in Tallahassee,” said Ramsey. “We must continue to push for policies that cut taxes and promote job growth as well as protect our freedoms, especially our Second Amendment rights. And Florida must ban sanctuary cities.”
Ramsey would also make veterans a priority: “As a veteran, I know how much the men and women in uniform sacrifice to protect our great country. We owe it to our veterans to give them economic opportunities, to see to it that they are well cared for and treated with the dignity and respect they deserve.”
After growing up in Camden, South Carolina, Ramsey enlisted in the United States Air Force, where he rose through the enlisted ranks and was later commissioned as an officer, retiring as a major. In 2001, his service brought him to Brevard County, where he was a launch director with the Delta program at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. At that post, he also provided leadership on complex projects where he managed large budgets and hundreds of staff. He finished his military career with a teaching assignment at the collegiate level, mentoring the next generation of Air Force officers.
After retiring from the Air Force, Ramsey began a career as a high school teacher. Starting in the fall of 2017, he will serve as the Senior Aerospace Science Instructor for Eau Gallie High School, leading the Junior ROTC program.
“Teaching is both a great privilege and responsibility, and I am very encouraged by the hard work and ambition I see in so many of my students,” said Ramsey. “But I am troubled by the lack of emphasis on civics education throughout a child’s school experience. It is imperative that we bolster the teaching of our nation’s history and the system of government our founders created.”
Ramsey and his wife, Michelle, a Merritt Island native, are the proud parents of six children. She is a certified public account and works as a manager in Brevard County.
House District 51 covers parts of central and northern Brevard County, including the communities of Rockledge, Cocoa, Merritt Island, Cape Canaveral, and Cocoa Beach, as well as the Kennedy Space Center and Cape Canaveral Air Force Station.

Paid by Jeff Ramsey, Republican, for State Representative

Commissioner Adam Putnam Encourages Floridians to Prepare for 2017 Hurricane Season

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Commissioner of Agriculture Adam H. Putnam urges Floridians to prepare for the 2017 hurricane season, which begins June 1. Expecting weak El Nino conditions, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration predicts an above-average hurricane season.
“Preliminary forecasts point to an active hurricane season this year,” said Commissioner of Agriculture Adam H. Putnam. “It’s crucial that Floridians plan early to protect their families and homes this hurricane season.”
Floridians can take the following steps to prepare for the 2017 hurricane season:

  • Have a Plan: Know what you and your family will do in an emergency. Research the locations of hurricane shelters and find out if you can take your pet. Make sure everyone in your house knows the plan and where your emergency supplies are stored.
  • Prepare a Kit: Keep a kit stocked with emergency supplies. This should include a three-day supply of food and water for each family member. Plan for one gallon of water per person per day. Supplies should also include: cash, blankets and sleeping bags, first-aid kits, battery-powered radios, flashlights and extra batteries, clothing, necessary medications, pet care, a list of important phone numbers and important documents stored in waterproof containers.
  • Stay Informed: Keep up-to-date on the latest weather information. Watch local news and weather, listen for radio updates or stay informed with your computer or smartphone.

In addition to these tips, it is imperative to have an adequate supply of food and water during a disaster.

  • Keep an appliance thermometer in your fridge and freezer to provide an accurate temperature reading even if the power is out. A freezer should be at or below 0°F and the fridge at 40°F.
  • Store food on shelves high enough that it will not be contaminated in case of flood.
  • Have coolers on hand to keep food cold if the power is out more than four hours. Keep the fridge and freezer doors closed as much as possible.
  • Discard perishables, such as meat, fish, cheese, milk, eggs, leftovers and deli items, if the power is out more than four hours.
  • Use bottled water if you are concerned about your water supply. If you don’t have bottled water, boil water and let it cool before storing to drink.

During an emergency, the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services provides necessary food and water to affected areas and helps protect animals and pets. The department’s Florida Forest Service is responsible for incident management and assists emergency responders in clearing debris and distributing supplies. Additionally, the department’s Office of Agricultural Law Enforcement provides law enforcement services to police departments and county sheriff’s offices as necessary.
For more information and tips on hurricane preparedness, visit FloridaDisaster.org.
For more information about the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, visit FreshFromFlorida.com.

Gov. Scott and DHS Secretary Kelly Kick Off Hurricane Season at National Hurricane Center

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MEDIA ADVISORY

Tomorrow, June 1, Governor Rick Scott and Secretary of Homeland Security John Kelly will kick off the 2017 hurricane season at the National Hurricane Center in Miami.
WHAT: Press Conference
WHEN: 11:00 AM
WHERE: National Hurricane Center
11691 SW 17th Street
Miami, FL 33165
NOTE: Credentialed media planning to attend must RSVP [email protected] before 8:00 AM EDT on June 1. On the day of the event, media must arrive no later than 10:15 AM EDT for security purposes. Parking is located on the east side of the building with signage “NOAA Conference Parking”. After you are cleared by security, proceed to the main (south) entrance.