Jose Carlos Terra Izquierdo Gets 2 Years for Credit Card Fraud

Jose Carlos Terra Izquierdo, a 24-year-old from Amarillo, Texas, is headed to federal prison after being sentenced to 24 months for credit card fraud in Jacksonville, Florida. U.S. District Judge Timothy J. Corrigan handed down the sentence, ordering it to run consecutive to a separate 12-month and one-day term Izquierdo received in the District of Nebraska.

The crime spree began unraveling in March 2017, when Izquierdo, already convicted in 2016 on federal credit card fraud charges in Nebraska, failed to report to prison as ordered. Instead of turning himself in, he fled to Florida, violating his release conditions and triggering a federal arrest warrant.

On March 2, 2017, the Florida Highway Patrol stopped Izquierdo in Columbia County for driving with an expired Texas license plate. What started as a routine traffic stop turned criminal when troopers searched his vehicle and found a credit card reader packed with stolen card data tied to over 50 victims.

Federal prosecutors say the equipment and data were part of a larger scheme to clone and use credit cards illegally. The discovery confirmed Izquierdo was actively committing fraud while evading justice for a prior conviction. The Secret Service and Florida Highway Patrol launched a joint investigation, building a case that led to his swift prosecution in Florida.

Assistant United States Attorney Kevin C. Frein prosecuted the case in the Middle District of Florida. The court not only imposed the 24-month sentence but also ordered Izquierdo to pay full restitution to the financial institutions and businesses defrauded during his criminal activity.

Izquierdo’s actions exposed dozens of victims to financial theft and identity risks. His case serves as a stark reminder that federal fraud charges carry steep consequences—even more so when defendants try to run from justice. He will now serve time for both the original conviction and his decision to go on the run with stolen data in tow.