Grimy Times has learned that Irving Gonzalez-Bocanegra, 25, of Hermosillo, Mexico, pleaded guilty today in federal court to one count of wire fraud and one count of possession of fifteen or more counterfeit credit cards.
According to court documents, Gonzalez-Bocanegra and his co-defendants, Javier Miranda-Molina and Rafael Perez, were present and traveling together in Boise on March 31, 2015, for the purpose of using counterfeit credit cards to make fraudulent purchases of merchandise and gift cards.
The defendants engaged in a number of transactions, at a variety of stores, using credit cards the defendants knew to be counterfeit. The defendants fraudulently obtained merchandise valued at approximately $5,117.63.
Prior to arriving in Boise, on March 29 and 30, 2015, the defendants engaged in similar fraudulent transactions in Montana and obtained merchandise valued at approximately $8,184.01.
When arrested in Boise, the defendants were working together to package and ship a variety of merchandise purchased with counterfeit credit cards, such as GoPro Hero 4 Cameras, Samsung Galaxy Nooks, and video game systems. They had in their joint possession a number of counterfeit credit cards, including approximately 84 counterfeit credit cards taped into the pages of a magazine, 3 counterfeit credit cards recovered from the trash, and 3 counterfeit credit cards found in the driver’s side door pocket of their rental car.
The defendants were charged with wire fraud because all of the described transactions resulted in wire communications that were foreseeable to the defendants, in particular, interstate transmissions by wire of information from the point of sale terminals in the stores to the credit card payment processers and to the account-issuing banks located in different states.
“This case demonstrates how federal and local law enforcement cooperate with Idaho businesses to protect business integrity and consumer confidence from the costs and victimization imposed by fraud,” said U.S. Attorney Wendy J. Olson. Sentencing for Gonzalez-Bocanegra is set for October 27, 2015. His co-defendant, Rafael Perez, is set for a plea hearing on August 11, 2015, and co-defendant Javier Miranda-Molina has already pleaded guilty and is set for sentencing on October 14, 2015.
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Key Facts
- State: Idaho
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes|White Collar Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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