FORT WORTH, Texas — An organized crime ring is accused of stealing more than $283,000 worth of diesel fuel from gas stations in North Texas, according to an arrest warrant.
The series of 40-plus thefts spanned multiple counties across Dallas-Fort Worth from November 2021 to January 2023, according to an arrest warrant affidavit.
One of the suspects, Rolando Campa, 59, was arrested on a complaint of engaging in organized criminal activity in October, the warrant states.
The warrant details how Campa and at least 11 others allegedly stole more than 46,000 gallons of fuel worth $283,486 using card skimming and pulsar tampering.
Pulsars are built into fuel pumps that monitors the amount of fuel dispensed. Attaching a device to manipulate the pulsar slows it, causing the pump to register only 1/20th of the amount of fuel dispersed, according to the warrant.
The group also allegedly used stolen debit and gift cards at the gas stations, investigators wrote in the warrant.
Police were able to track the suspects and their vehicles using security camera footage from the gas stations that were impacted, according to the warrant.
Gas stations across Tarrant, Wise, Johnson, Hill, Dallas, Collin, and Denton counties, the warrant shows.
An official with the Texas Financial Crimes Intelligence Center told Fort Worth police said some of the suspects are also believed to have evaded paying taxes on the fuel, according to the warrant.
The Fort Worth Star-Telegram reports other suspects charged in the case include Darien Rodriguez Franco, 39; Leonel Escalante Machin, 37; Lazaro Munoz Zamora, 31; Omar Campa, 54; Aylin Mujica, 34; Yosdel Sausdrefenea, 35; Johan Sainz-Gomez, 45; Roberto Leon Arias, 37; Yojanes Burgos Vazquez, 35; Yolday Feria Gomez, 40; Yosvany Jimenez; 34; and Aniel Delgado Soriano, 36, according to Tarrant County court records.
