DAYTON - A federal grand jury has charged five Dayton men in an identity theft conspiracy that involved re-encoding gift and credit cards in order to steal gasoline at approximately 50 Dayton-area gas stations and convenience stores.
According to the indictment, co-conspirators executed a fraud scheme to acquire bulk quantities of stolen personal credit card account numbers, names, addresses and other personal identifying information from the Dark Web.
The stolen information was thereafter allegedly re-encoded by the co-conspirators on hundreds of blank and reused gift cards and credit cards for later use in the left of large quantities of gasoline from approximately 50 Dayton-area gas stations and convenience stores over a two and a half year time period.
Court documents say the defendants issued announcements on Facebook and sent blast text messages indicating the precise date, time and retail establishment of upcoming illicit “fill-ups."
Conspirators would allegedly appear at the designated locations for the purpose of hi-jacking the operation of retail store gas pumps using counterfeit credit cards accepting $20-$30 payments from customers, filling up their vehicles with stolen gas. It was reportedly not unusual to observe six to 10 vehicles lined up at designated gas pumps waiting to receive “fill-ups" from members of the conspiracy.
Those charged include Kevin Earl Alexander, Jr., 33; Demetrius Hicks, 28; Tyson Kenneth Thomas, 24; Darrell Toshe White, 27; and Isaiah Cooper, 20. Each of the defendants is charged with conspiracy to engage in access device fraud, punishable by up to seven and one-half years in prison. Defendants are also charged in the 11-count indictment with aggravated identity theft, illegally possessing unauthorized access devices and device making equipment. Hicks is also charged with illegally possessing a firearm as a convicted felon.
Three of the defendants were arrested over the past two days. Alexander was already in state custody for a prior state conviction. All five defendants will appear in federal court for arraignment.
David M. DeVillers, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Yvonne DiCristoforo, Special Agent in Charge, United States Secret Service, Cincinnati Field Office; and Dayton Police Chief Richard S. Biehl announced the charges. Assistant United States Attorney Dwight Keller is representing the United States in this case.
An indictment merely contains allegations, and defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
