A Florida man has been sentenced to federal prison in Colorado for his role in a sophisticated scheme involving gas pump skimming, identity theft, and the alteration of vehicle identification numbers (VINs).
Yamany Guerra-Pena, a 36-year-old Cuban national residing in Miami, received a 55-month prison sentence followed by three years of supervised release. He was also ordered to pay $76,980 in restitution to his victims.
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Guerra-Pena pleaded guilty to one count of bank fraud, one count of identity theft, and one count of conspiracy to transport stolen goods and alter VINs.
“Stopping criminals like Guerra-Pena who prey on innocent Coloradans is a critical priority of our office,” said Acting United States Attorney for the District of Colorado Matt Kirsch. “This case is an excellent example of how local and federal law enforcement work together to protect our communities.”
According to court documents, Guerra-Pena and his accomplices installed skimmers on gas pumps in the Colorado Springs area between 2021 and early 2023. These devices captured customers’ bank account information, which Guerra-Pena used to create fraudulent clone cards.
The cloned cards were then used to purchase large quantities of diesel fuel, which was resold on the black market. In addition to the fuel scheme, Guerra-Pena also stole personal vehicles and heavy construction equipment, removed the VINs, and sold the stolen vehicles to unsuspecting buyers in Miami.
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This case highlights the successful collaboration between local and federal law enforcement agencies. The investigation was conducted by the U.S. Secret Service Denver Field Office and the Colorado Springs Police Department.
“This sentencing demonstrates our collective resolve to deter crimes threatening our financial infrastructure,” said Special Agent in Charge Marc DellaSala, U.S. Secret Service, Denver Field Office. “We are dedicated to disrupting all schemes which undermine our nation’s financial security and negatively impact law-abiding Americans. I want to thank the U.S. Attorney’s Office and our partners at the Colorado Springs Police Department for their dedication to this effort.”
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“The Colorado Springs Police Department’s Financial Crimes Unit takes these types of crimes seriously because of the significant impact they have on individual community members and local businesses who are the ones truly victimized by these ‘skimming’ crimes,” said Colorado Springs Police Chief Adrian Vasquez. “We are thankful for the impact that we can have on these types of criminal operations with the help of our federal partners.”
United States District Court Judge William J. Martinez presided over the sentencing, emphasizing the severity of Guerra-Pena’s crimes and the impact on his victims.
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