Florida Commissioner of Agriculture Wilton Simpson announced Friday the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services’ Office of Agricultural Law Enforcement (OALE) has arrested a suspect on four felony charges related to fuel thefts from three Wawa locations in Orange County.
Yerrison Perez was arrested by OALE on September 8, 2023, on an active warrant at the Orange County Jail where Perez was being held on separate charges.
Commissioner Wilton Simpson said, “This arrest is evidence that our continued collaboration with our law enforcement partners is successful in busting these criminals and should serve as a warning to anyone who thinks they can get away with fuel theft in our state.”
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In 2022, OALE initiated a lengthy investigation into fuel thefts occurring at multiple Wawa stores in Orlando, Florida. The investigation revealed that between June 17, 2022, and July 7, 2022, a suspect obtained fuel fraudulently at three different Wawa locations on separate occasions. The fuel thefts resulted in over 1,300 gallons of fuel being stolen valued at more than $9,000.
On August 19, 2022, the Orlando Police Department arrested the suspect, Yerrison Perez, for fuel theft at a Wawa store in Orlando, Florida. Based on video evidence, business records, bank records, and other investigative techniques, Perez was positively identified by OALE as the suspect involved in the OALE investigation regarding the three fuel thefts that occurred between June 17, 2022, and July 7, 2022.
OALE investigators obtained an arrest warrant for Perez related to the fuel thefts, and on September 8, 2023, Perez was arrested by an OALE investigator on the active warrant at the Orange County Jail where Perez was being held on unrelated charges.
Yerrison Perez was charged with the following charges:
- Violation of Section 812.014(2)(c) Florida Statutes, Grand Theft, Second-Degree Felony, 3 counts.
- Violation of Section 817.034(4)(a)(3) Florida Statutes, Scheme to Defraud, Second-Degree Felony, 1 count.
To help combat rampant retail fuel theft across Florida, Commissioner Simpson worked with the Florida Legislature this year to create criminal penalties for the possession, installation, use, or aiding in the use of contaminant devices – such as fuel dispenser pulsars – inserted into retail fuel dispensers from its standard operation or impeding standard functionality.
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In addition, Florida law was changed to create criminal penalties for possessing or using an auxiliary fuel tank to commit retail fuel theft. These new changes went into effect July 1, 2023.
The Office of Agricultural Law Enforcement conducts criminal investigations relating to any matter over which the department has jurisdiction, protects consumers from unfair and deceptive trade practices, protects Florida’s agriculture industry from theft and other crimes, and safeguards the integrity of Florida’s food and other consumer products. In support of its mission, the Office of Agricultural Law Enforcement operates more than 20 agricultural interdiction stations around the state.
Officers conduct vehicle inspections 24 hours a day, 365 days a year to protect Florida’s food supply and prevent the introduction and spread of agricultural pests and diseases.
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