Juseph Eugene Suero-Olmeda, Unauthorized Use of Access Device, Missouri 2021

A brazen gift card scam has landed a Florida man in hot water, with authorities catching him red-handed with over $12,000 in stolen gift cards.

Juseph Eugene Suero-Olmeda, 23, pleaded guilty on Thursday to one count of unauthorized use of an access device, a federal felony, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri.

According to court documents, Suero-Olmeda used stolen bank account information to purchase 25 Walmart gift cards, each valued at $480, from stores in Wentzville, Lake St. Louis, and St. Peters, Missouri. He then shipped the cards to an associate in Florida.

The Wright City Police stopped Suero-Olmeda's vehicle for speeding on October 3, 2021, and discovered the gift cards, which had been purchased just hours earlier.

Suero-Olmeda's guilty plea comes as a result of a joint investigation by the U.S. Secret Service, the Wright City Police, the Warren County Sheriff's Department, the St. Peters Police Department, the Wentzville Police Department, and the Lake St. Louis Police Department.

The defendant is scheduled to be sentenced on July 11 and faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, or both. He has also agreed to pay restitution for the stolen gift cards.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer Roy is prosecuting the case. Suero-Olmeda's actions demonstrate a blatant disregard for the law and a willingness to profit from stolen identity.

Source: https://www.justice.gov/usao-edmo/pr/florida-man-admits-buying-gift-cards-stolen-bank-account-information