Florida Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson announced the takedown Monday of a "major criminal operation" involving payment card fraud and fuel theft in Hernando County.
The investigation, headed by the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services’ Office of Agricultural Law Enforcement (OALE), led to the arrest of three people on felony charges for trafficking in counterfeit goods, possession of skimming devices, and possession of equipment used for animal fighting.
“This case is a textbook example of how skilled, coordinated law enforcement can uncover and shut down sophisticated fraud networks operating in our communities,” Simpson said in a press release. “I commend the work of our OALE agents and the critical support from our federal and local partners. We will continue to protect Florida consumers from criminal schemes that threaten both public safety and economic security.”
According to Simpson's release, the investigation began after U.S. Customs and Border Protection captured a shipment of illegal overlay skimming devices addressed to Yunior Juan Camacho of Spring Hill.
Afterward, OALE Special Agents launched a probe into the suspected violations, which involved using scanning devices and reencoders used to steal sensitive financial data.
Agents raided Camacho's home alongside Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Hernando County Sheriff’s Office (HCSO) under a search warrant on June 25. Camacho, along with Aliasay Medina Murguia and Danisbel Hernandez-Plasencia, were arrested during the operation.
During the search, agents uncovered the following:
- 354 suspected counterfeit magnetic strip payment cards
- 17 illegal skimming devices
- More than 150 digital storage devices
- Additional electronic components used for skimming schemes
- $47,350 in cash
During the search, agents also impounded a 2022 Ford F-350 operated by Hernandez-Plasencia after finding two concealed, illegal fuel tanks suspected of being used to steal diesel fuel. 17 gaffs, which are commonly used for animal fighting, were also recovered.
