Gas skimming operation: Miami man pleads guilty to federal charges

FLORIDA — A Miami man has pleaded guilty to charges tied to a multi-state fuel theft and gas pump skimming operation that targeted gas stations in Alabama, Louisiana, and northern Florida, including the Panhandle.

Luis Edel Trujillo Pena, 29, faces up to 20 years in prison for wire fraud, up to five years for conspiracy, and a mandatory two-year sentence for aggravated identity theft, said the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida (USAO).

Restitution to victims will also be required. A sentencing date has not been set.

According to court records, Pena and his co-conspirators installed skimmers on gas pumps to steal credit and debit card numbers, which they used to create counterfeit cards. These counterfeit cards reportedly enabled them to purchase diesel fuel, which was transferred to fuel bladder systems hidden in vehicles.

The stolen fuel was later said to be offloaded into tanker trucks and sold to a gas station connected to the conspiracy.

The USAO said the scheme spanned several states, and law enforcement relied on surveillance, vehicle tracker data, and fuel purchase analysis to unravel the operation.

This case was investigated by the FBI, Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Florida Highway Patrol, Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, U.S. General Services Administration – Office of Inspector General, and U.S. Secret Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin C. Frein is prosecuting the case.