PORTLAND, ME – Yaisder Herrera Gargallo, 24, of Miami, Florida, is headed to federal prison for more than three years after pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit access device fraud and aggravated identity theft. Chief Judge Nancy Torresen handed down the 40-month sentence, followed by three years of supervised release, in U.S. District Court today.
The scheme, spanning from approximately November 2015 to June 2016, involved Gargallo and his accomplices using stolen credit and debit card numbers to fund a shopping spree. The operation wasn’t confined to Florida; the crew hit the road, bringing their fraud to Maine in June 2016.
On June 14, 2016, Gargallo brazenly walked into a Portland Walgreens and purchased over $400 worth of merchandise using a stolen card belonging to a New Gloucester, Maine resident. The following day, he repeated the act at another Portland Walgreens, utilizing a different compromised card. This time, however, vigilant store personnel took notice and alerted police, providing a crucial license plate number.
The Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office acted swiftly. On June 18, 2016, a deputy pulled over the vehicle carrying Gargallo and three other men. The search revealed a trove of stolen merchandise, a cache of fraudulent credit cards, and a laptop computer packed with stolen credit card data – including the very number Gargallo used at the Walgreens just days prior.
Gargallo isn’t the only one facing consequences. His co-defendants – Jose Castillo Febles, Juan Carlos Febles, and Meylisi Rueda – have also pleaded guilty and are awaiting sentencing. The investigation, a collaborative effort between the Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office, the Portland Police Department, and the U.S. Secret Service, demonstrates a coordinated response to interstate financial crime.
Federal prosecutors are cracking down on these types of schemes. U.S. Attorney Halsey B. Frank emphasized the seriousness of the offenses. This case serves as a warning: stealing identities and defrauding financial institutions carries significant penalties, and law enforcement agencies are working together to bring perpetrators to justice. The Department of Justice, District of Maine, handled the prosecution.
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Key Facts
- Agency: U.S. Secret Service
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: Official Press Release
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