Five Las Vegas Men Indicted in $2.5M Gas Pump Skimming Ring

Five Las Vegas men are facing federal charges for allegedly running a two-year skimming operation that targeted gas pump customers across Nevada and Southern California, stealing more than 2,500 credit and debit card numbers. Federal prosecutors unsealed an indictment last week naming Juan Luis Sosa Tamayo, 31; Adrian Leyva Tamayo, 31; Dayner Manuel Alarcon Rodriguez, 22; Alen Boucourt Diaz, 39; and Francisco Rodriguez Gonzalez, 34 — all Las Vegas residents — in a sweeping fraud scheme that drained unsuspecting drivers at the pump.

According to the indictment, from June 2018 to June 2020, the defendants installed illicit skimming devices on gas pump terminals, harvesting sensitive financial data from thousands of victims. The crew crisscrossed the Southwest, hitting stations in Las Vegas, Reno, and multiple Southern California cities, slipping devices into pumps under cover of night. The stolen data was then cloned onto counterfeit cards, which they used to make ATM withdrawals and high-dollar purchases, turning gas stations into cash machines.

The U.S. Secret Service and Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department (LVMPD) led the investigation, uncovering a network that relied on technical know-how and brazen field operations. Once the skimmers were in place, the defendants returned to retrieve the devices and harvest the data, cycling through stations to avoid detection. The operation, federal authorities say, was systematic, coordinated, and designed to exploit a common consumer blind spot — the unguarded fuel nozzle.

Court records show Sosa Tamayo, Leyva Tamayo, and Rodriguez Gonzalez made their first federal appearances on August 7, 2020, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Daniel J. Albregts. Boucourt Diaz appeared August 10, and Alarcon Rodriguez on August 12, both before U.S. Magistrate Judge Brenda Weksler. All five are charged with access device fraud, conspiracy, and aggravated identity theft — charges that carry steep penalties under federal law.

The conspiracy charge alone carries a statutory maximum of 5 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Each count of use or possession of unauthorized or counterfeit access devices could add 10 years and another $250,000 fine. The aggravated identity theft charges bring a mandatory 2-year prison term. Beyond prison, defendants face supervised release, restitution, and additional monetary penalties — though none have been convicted yet. An indictment, officials stress, is not a finding of guilt.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jamie Mickelson. Authorities urge anyone who suspects they’ve been victimized by identity theft to contact the Federal Trade Commission at 1-877-438-4338 or visit www.identitytheft.gov. For prevention tips and resources, go to www.ftc.gov/idtheft. As fuel prices rise, so does the risk at the pump — and this crew allegedly turned everyday drivers into easy prey.

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