SALISBURY, NC – Two men are headed to federal prison after a brazen scheme to steal credit and debit card information from gas pumps across Rowan County. Elio Arturo Rodriguez-Mendez, 47, of Miami, Florida, and Jean Jesus Rodriguez-Silva, 33, of Louisville, Kentucky, each received a 33-month sentence from U.S. District Judge William L. Osteen, Jr. following their guilty pleas to one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud.
The investigation began with a single victim’s complaint, quickly snowballing into a case of widespread fraud. Authorities traced the compromised card data to purchases made at multiple Walmart stores, and security footage revealed a consistent pattern: the two suspects arriving and departing in a silver pick-up truck sporting Florida license plates. It wasn’t long before the Rowan County Sheriff’s Office had a vehicle and potential suspects in sight.
On September 7, 2017, an officer spotted the truck at a Salisbury hotel. Recognizing Rodriguez-Mendez as the individual captured on store surveillance, law enforcement made a traffic stop as the truck left the hotel grounds. Inside, officers discovered devices commonly used in card-skimming operations – the tools of a sophisticated theft ring targeting unsuspecting gas station customers. The majority of victims had recently filled up at stations in Rockwell and Salisbury.
The evidence didn’t stop with the physical devices. A GPS unit found in Rodriguez-Mendez’s truck revealed a stop at a Rockwell gas station while it was closed. More damningly, an audio recording recovered from the GPS captured a conversation, in Spanish, detailing the correct method for installing a gas pump card-skimming device – a clear indication of premeditation and a practiced operation. The pair weren’t just stumbling around; they knew exactly what they were doing.
The U.S. Secret Service, working alongside the Rowan County Sheriff’s Office, built a solid case, meticulously linking the pair to the fraudulent activity. Assistant U.S. Attorney Anand P. Ramaswamy, a Cybercrime Prosecutor for the Middle District of North Carolina, successfully prosecuted the case, securing the guilty pleas and a significant sentence for both defendants. In addition to their prison terms, both Rodriguez-Mendez and Rodriguez-Silva have been ordered to pay $21,931.09 in restitution to the victims of their scheme.
This case serves as a stark reminder of the ever-present threat of financial fraud. While gas pump skimming may seem like a low-tech crime, the sophistication of the devices and the coordinated effort required to deploy them demonstrate the lengths criminals will go to steal your hard-earned money. Stay vigilant and regularly monitor your bank and credit card statements for any unauthorized activity.
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Key Facts
- Agency: U.S. Secret Service
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: Official Press Release
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