WATCH: Brevard Sheriff’s Office Task Force Arrests Five Suspects For Stealing Hundreds of Gallons of Fuel

hundreds of fraudulent credit and rewards cards found

ABOVE VIDEO: Brevard County Sheriff Wayne Ivey along with Federal Law Enforcement partners addressed the media today about the investigation that led to the arrests of five men for stealing hundreds of gallons of fuel in Brevard County.

BREVARD COUNTY, FLORIDA – Five men have been arrested in Brevard County after attempting to steal hundreds of gallons of fuel from multiple gas stations around the area.

The following suspects have been arrested:

– Yasiel Ventura, 29, from Orlando
– Didiel Rojas, 27, from Hialeah
– Luis Ortiz, 29, from Orlando
– Jose Fernandini, 59, from Orlando
– Jose Betancourt, 29, from Yankton, South Dakota

A search of the vehicles used in the crimes have uncovered hundreds of fraudulent credit and rewards cards.

Authorities say the arrests happened on Wednesday (March 6) after the Economic Crimes Task Force received information from employees about two vehicles that had been making suspicious transactions at multiple gas pumps in Brevard County.

BCSO agents observed two vehicles, driven by Ortiz and Rojas, that matched the suspicious vehicles at a gas station in Melbourne.

The vehicles were stopped by agents after leaving the area where it was discovered each of the vehicles contained unlawful concealed fuel bladders.

A third vehicle driven by Fernandini was observed at a nearby gas station that was also discovered to be carrying an illegal concealed fuel bladder.

During the investigation in Melbourne, agents received another tip about two vehicles at a gas station located in Cocoa that matched the description of vehicles that had previously made multiple suspicious fuel transactions.

Agents contacted patrol personnel from the Sheriff’s Office and the Cocoa Police Department who were able to make contact with both vehicles.

During the stop of these vehicles, driven by Ventura and Betancourt, agents discovered that each contained illegal concealed fuel bladders as well.

The Sheriff’s Office was joined by an investigator from the Florida Highway Patrol who inspected the vehicles and determined that each was equipped with illegal fuel bladders that did not conform to DOT regulations.

The vehicles used to carry out the crimes were two shuttle buses, two large pickup trucks and a lawn style pump sprayer. All of the vehicles were seized and taken to the Sheriff’s Office Impound Yard.

Investigators say additional charges for the possession and criminal use of another person’s personal information are still pending until the investigation has been complete.

All of the men were charged with Unlawful Conveyance of Fuel and transported to the Brevard County Jail on a $3,000 bond.

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