Florida Commissioner of Agriculture Adam H. Putnam today announced that investigators with his Office of Agricultural Law Enforcement made two separate arrests in the Orlando area for filling unlawful bladder trucks with fuel purchased with stolen financial information. A “bladder truck” is a vehicle that has been retrofitted with hidden tanks that hold high volumes of fuel.
Law enforcement officers arrested Alain Michel Montenegro Perdomo, 34, of Orlando after he allegedly filled his bladder truck that was estimated to hold more than 800 gallons of fuel. Investigators also recovered 23 counterfeit credit cards from Montenegro’s possession. Montenegro was charged with unlawful conveyance of fuel, which is a third degree felony; fraudulently obtaining fuel, which is a second degree felony; and possession of 23 counterfeit credit cards, which is a second degree felony.
Law enforcement officers also arrested Gustavo Diaz Correa, 40, of Orlando. Investigators observed Diaz allegedly filling an unlawful bladder truck that was estimated to hold over 200 gallons. Investigators recovered one counterfeit credit card from his possession. Diaz was charged with unlawful conveyance of fuel, which is a third degree felony; fraudulently obtaining fuel, which is a second degree felony; and credit card forgery, which is a third degree felony.
Both Montenegro and Diaz were booked in the Orange County Jail.
The Office of Agricultural Law Enforcement protects Florida’s agriculture and consumers through law enforcement in support of all the regulatory aspects of the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. For more information, visit FreshFromFlorida.com.
arrests
Ten Arrested in Mail Theft Scheme
Attorney General Pam Bondi’s Office of Statewide Prosecution, the U.S. Postal Inspector Service and the Coral Springs Police Department today announced the arrests of 10 individuals in connection to string of mail thefts from post office boxes of Coral Springs residents.
According to the investigation, the defendants took letters containing checks deposited in the U.S. Mail. After illegally removing the letters from the stream of transit, the defendants allegedly removed all written information from the checks, leaving only the pre-printed information. The defendants then allegedly wrote in their own name and a higher amount and deposited the checks into their bank accounts.
The victims did not know the checks placed in the mail had been redirected, changed to a higher amount and cashed out until they received their bank statements.
Authorities arrested the following Miami-Dade County residents in connection to this case:
· Angel Luis Arcila Berovides, 19;
· Dayan Moreira Clemente, 21;
· Liubert Cordero, 27;
· Mario Jorge Marrero-Corvo, 21;
· Rosalia Llompart Garcia, 21;
· Lorena Gonzalez, 19;
· Geysi Hernandez Mendoza, 37;
· Enlys Cosme Palacios, 22;
· Alexander Reyes, 25; and
· Frank Rojas, 27.
The defendants face charges that include organized scheme to defraud, grand theft and identity theft. If convicted of all counts, the defendants face up to 15 years in prison. Attorney General Bondi’s Office of Statewide Prosecution will prosecute this case.
