October 21, 2021 - A Cuban national has been sentenced to prison for federal violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei today.
Victor Entenza, 30, pleaded guilty on May 10, 2021 to conspiracy to commit access device fraud and aiding and abetting aggravated identity theft. Entenza was sentenced to 30 months in federal prison today by U.S. District Judge Thad Heartfield.
“Typically, a skimmer, such as the one found in this case, is placed inside a gas pump and used by criminals to collect credit card information from victims using the pump,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Nicholas Ganjei. “The crime is difficult to detect because intended gas purchase will proceed without interruption or notification,” Ganjei added. “A single gas station skimmer is capable of storing credit card information for hundreds of victims.”
According to information presented in court, on Jan. 27, 2017, an officer with the Nacogdoches Police Department conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle driven by Entenza and occupied by Cuban nationals, Orlando Enrique Quesada-Oliva, 25, and Ricardo Chavez-Travieso, 29. During the traffic stop, the officer discovered a credit card bearing the name of third party, leading to a more exhaustive search of the car. During this search, the officer found a notepad that listed various gas stations in Texas, Tennessee, and Alabama, numerous cell phones, a laptop computer and tape used as a security seal/tamper indicator for gas station fuel pumps. The officer also located a card skimmer, an encoder, a key used to open gas pumps, and additional credit cards located in hidden compartments within the vehicle. Credit card information for nine individuals, none of whom were occupants the vehicle, was additionally found.
Entenza, Oliva, and Travieso were indicted by a federal grand jury on Oct. 8, 2020 and charged with federal violations. On July 12, 2021, Travieso pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit access device fraud and aiding/abetting aggravated identity theft. Travieso is awaiting a sentencing date. The case against Oliva is still pending.
This case was investigated by the Nacogdoches Police Department and the Department of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Tommy L. Coleman.
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