Case Closed

Twelve Years for Fuel Thief

Cespedes

Roaldis Alejo Cespedes, 42, of Irving, was convicted of engaging in organized criminal activity.

Between June and August 2022, the defendant and his co-defendants illegally acquired fuel by using pulsar tampering devices and stolen credit card information. The defendant used vehicles modified to acquire, transport and deliver motor fuel.

A Smith County district judge sentenced Cespedes to 12 years’ incarceration (with 617 days jail time credit) for engaging in organized criminal activity, a first-degree felony punishable by five to 99 years in prison and a fine up to $10,000. The sentence will be served in the correctional institution division of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice.

Crime Does Not Pay

Madera-Manteira

Einsling Javier Madera-Manteira, 35, of Houston, was convicted of evading motor fuel tax and unlawful use of a criminal instrument.

On July 21, 2023, the defendant and his co-defendant utilized a pulsar tampering device to steal approximately 97 gallons of gasoline. The defendant delivered the illegally acquired fuel into a vehicle modified to receive, transport and deliver large quantities of unlawfully appropriated motor fuel.

A Burleson County district judge sentenced Madera-Manteira to four years’ incarceration for evading motor fuel tax, a second-degree felony punishable by two to 20 years in prison and a fine up to $10,000, and four years’ incarceration for unlawful use of a criminal instrument, a third-degree felony punishable by two to 10 years in prison and a fine up to $10,000. The sentences will run concurrently in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice, and the defendant was given 302 days jail time credit.

Five Years for Fuel Thief

Martinez-Delrisco

Yurisman Martinez-Delrisco, 29, of Arlington, was convicted of engaging in organized criminal activity.

Between November and December 2023, the defendant and his co-defendants illegally acquired fuel by using pulsar tampering devices and stolen credit card information. The defendant utilized vehicles modified for the purpose of acquiring, transporting and delivering motor fuel.

A Delta County district judge sentenced Martinez-Delrisco to five years’ incarceration (with 256 days jail time credit) for engaging in organized criminal activity, a first-degree felony punishable by five to 99 years in prison and a fine up to $10,000. The sentence will be served in the correctional institution division of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice.

Do the Crime, Serve the Time

Reed

Antwan Chane Reed Jr., 29, of Memphis, Tenn., was convicted of evading motor fuel tax and transporting motor fuel without shipping documents.

On Jan. 30, 2023, the defendant manipulated a fuel dispenser pump with a factory remote control device.

A Cass County district judge sentenced Reed Jr. to three years’ incarceration (with 36 days jail time credit) and a $2,000 fine for transporting motor fuel without shipping documents and evading motor fuel tax, both second-degree felonies punishable by two to 20 years in prison and a fine up to $10,000.

The sentence will be served in the correctional institution division of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice.

Motor fuel thief sentenced

Delacruz

Duniesky Vizcay Delacruz, 39, of Corpus Christi, was convicted of evading motor fuel tax and theft of a petroleum product valued at less than $10,000.

In July 2023, the defendant intentionally and knowingly evaded motor fuel tax by illegally acquiring approximately 97 gallons of diesel fuel using a pulsar tampering device. The defendant delivered the fuel into an auxiliary fuel tank in his vehicle.

A Burleson County district judge sentenced Delacruz to 4 years’ incarceration for evading motor fuel tax and 12 months incarceration for the theft of petroleum, to run concurrently, and Delacruz was given 220 days’ jail time credit.

15 Years for Fuel Thief

Ramon Perez-Torres, 31, of Mesquite, was convicted of engaging in organized criminal activity.

Between June and August 2022, the defendant and his co-defendants illegally acquired fuel by using pulsar tampering devices and stolen credit card information. The defendant utilized vehicles modified for the purpose of acquiring, transporting, and delivering motor fuel. The offenses occurred across multiple jurisdictions from Denton County to Anderson County, Texas.

A Smith County district judge sentenced Perez-Torres to 15 years’ incarceration, and he was given 486 days jail time credit for engaging in organized criminal activity, a first-degree felony punishable by five to 99 years in prison and a fine up to $10,000. The sentence will be served in the correctional institution division of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice.

Do the Crime, Serve the Time

Pedro Julio Ruiz-Llanes, 33, of Burleson, was convicted of transporting motor fuel without shipping documents, evading motor fuel tax and unlawful use of a criminal instrument.

On June 5, 2023, the defendant utilized a vehicle modified to receive, transport and deliver large quantities of unlawfully appropriated motor fuel. The motor fuel was obtained by using pulsar tampering devices and stolen credit/debit card information.

A Johnson County district judge sentenced Ruiz-Llanes to four years’ incarceration, and he was given 176 days jail time credit for transporting motor fuel without shipping documents and evading motor fuel tax, both second-degree felonies punishable by two to 20 years in prison and a fine up to $10,000. Unlawful use of a criminal instrument is a third-degree felony punishable by two to 10 years in prison and a fine up to $10,000.

The sentence will be served in the correctional institution division of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice.

Do the time for organized crime

Camila Cruz Concepcion, 26, of Dallas, was convicted of engaging in organized criminal activity.

Between June and August 2022, the defendant and her co-defendants illegally acquired fuel by using pulsar tampering devices and stolen credit card information. The defendant utilized vehicles modified for the purpose of acquiring, transporting and delivering motor fuel. The offenses occurred across multiple jurisdictions from Denton County to Anderson County, Texas.

A Smith County district judge sentenced Concepcion to 10 years’ incarceration, and she was given 546 days jail time credit.

Motor fuel thief sentenced

Edel Antonio Gonzalez Mojena, 35, of Houston, was convicted of evading motor fuel tax.

In May 2023, the defendant intentionally and knowingly evaded motor fuel tax by illegally acquiring approximately 198 gallons of diesel fuel using a re-encoded credit card. The defendant delivered the fuel into an auxiliary fuel tank in his vehicle.

A Colorado County district judge sentenced Mojena to 2 years’ incarceration, and he was given 199 days jail time credit. The defendant paid restitution of about $809.

50 years for fuel theft

Duniesky Ondarza Gonzalez, 38, of Dallas, was convicted of engaging in organized criminal activity.

Between June and August 2022, the defendant and his co-defendants illegally acquired fuel by using pulsar tampering devices and stolen credit card information. The defendant utilized vehicles modified for the purpose of acquiring, transporting, and delivering motor fuel. The offenses occurred across multiple jurisdictions from Denton County to Anderson County, Texas.

A Smith County district judge sentenced Gonzalez to 50 years’ incarceration, and he was given 512 days jail time credit.

Stealing is not the answer

Wilver Benitez Rodriguez, 47, of Dallas, was convicted of evading motor fuel tax, transporting motor fuel without cargo manifest or shipping documents, and unlawful use of a criminal instrument.

In March 2020, the defendant siphoned approximately 313 gallons of diesel fuel from an underground storage tank and delivered the unlawfully appropriated fuel into an auxiliary tank mounted inside the cargo area of his vehicle.

An Ellis County district judge sentenced Rodriguez to 50 years’ incarceration.

Serving the Time for His Crime

Milton Diaz

Milton Diaz, 57, of Cypress was convicted for engaging in a motor fuel transaction without a license.

Since January 2023, the defendant had been short loading dyed diesel fuel deliveries and retaining and delivering the stolen dyed diesel fuel into an above ground fuel storage tank, with an estimated loss to the company of $200,000.

A Harris County district judge sentenced Diaz to 5 years’ confinement in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice system for the motor fuel transaction without a license, a third-degree felony punishable by two to 10 years in prison and a fine up to $10,000. The confinement was suspended, and the defendant received 10 years’ community supervision and must pay restitution of about $40,000 and court costs.