Suspects in Separate Organized Credit Fraud Thefts Charged/Sought

by Public Information Office | Nov 09, 2015

After lengthy investigations, McAllen Police Investigators have identified suspects working in multiple groups to commit theft of credit/bank card information and to commit credit/bank card fraud and related crimes thereafter. Upon reports of fraudulent credit/bank card activity, McAllen Police Department Officers identified compromised credit/bank card information and identified suspects in the fraudulent use of that data. Investigators have also determined that these thefts include the use of gas pump credit/bank skimmers throughout south Texas. Skimmers are devices that are affixed to card readers to secretly swipe and store credit and debit card information when customers slip their cards into readers.

“These are organized groups that traveled to South Texas to commit organized thefts. As a result, many south Texans have been victimized. These kinds of data thefts are unlike simple thefts where a theft of an item is an open and closed event. These kinds of thefts are penetrations of what we consider our individual privacy zones and the inconvenience of these crimes extend well beyond the theft itself for every victim” stated Victor Rodriguez, Chief of Police.

Chief Rodriguez further stated that “Although it is always important to guard against these types of crimes, it is most important to be vigilant during this time of the year: the Holiday season. I respectfully urge members of our communities to regularly monitor their credit/bank card statements. Unusual activity should be reported immediately to the credit/bank card company. The sooner the consumer detects the suspect activity, the sooner losses may be minimized and the greater the opportunity to identify those involved.”

The Chief further requests our business community “to regularly inspect credit/bank card readers to guard against the installation of skimming devices.”

“It is a new age and these crimes are a product of that new age. We must adapt to this and take those steps to safeguard against these crimes.”

Charged:

Juan Carlos Perez Serrano Carlos Alberto Reyes Batista

Juan Carlos Perez Serrano Carlos Alberto Reyes Batista

Juan Carlos Perez Serrano, 25 years of age.

Last known Address: Austin Texas

Charges: Credit Card Abuse State Jail Felony (2 counts) and Engaging in Organized Criminal Activity Third Degree Felony.

Carlos Alberto Reyes Batista, 40 years of age.

Last known Address: Austin Texas

Charges: Credit Card Abuse State Jail Felony (4 counts), Engaging in Organized Criminal Activity.

Alexander Escalante Pena, 40 years old. (no image available)

Charges: Engaging in Organized Criminal Activity Third Degree Felony

Sought:

Lino Marrero Montes Michel Jesus Velazquez Gregori Yunier Carballo Pupo Manuel Cabrera Perez

Lino Marrero Montes Michel Jesus Velazquez Gregori Yunier Carballo Pupo Manuel Cabrera Perez

Jose Yoan Mafut Valdivia Raul Gonzalez Falcon Raul Betancourt Estevez Marilyn Del Toro Bravo

Jose Yoan Mafut Valdivia Raul Gonzalez Raul Betancourt Estevez Marilyn Del Toro Bravo

Lino Marrero Montes, 25 years of age.

Last Known Address: Florida

Charges: Credit Card Abuse State Jail Felony (2 counts) and Engaging in Organized Criminal

Activity Third Degree Felony

Michel Jesus Velazquez Gregori, 30 years of age.

Last Known Address: Florida

Charges: Credit Card Abuse State Jail Felony (6 counts) and Engaging in Organized Criminal

Activity Third Degree Felony

Yunier Carballo Pupo, 33 years of age.