Two South Florida Men Plead Guilty To Conspiracy To Traffic In Credit Card

Tampa, Florida – Michel Verona Saavedra (20) and Yoandy Del Prado (26), both of Hialeah, have pleaded guilty to conspiracy to traffic in access devices and to possessing device-making equipment. Each faces a maximum penalty of five years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set.

According to the plea agreements and facts presented during the plea hearing, in the early morning hours of December 6, 2017, Del Prado and Saavedra had credit card skimming devices in their possession when deputies from the Sarasota County Sherriff’s Office stopped their car near a then-closed Sunoco gas station on Bee Ridge Road in Sarasota. The deputies located two skimming devices in the rear of the car, along with a laptop computer. In addition, following Saavedra’s arrest, deputies found five counterfeit credit cards, with altered data information, in his possession. A subsequent investigation revealed that similar skimming devices were hidden inside of gas pumps at three gas stations in the immediate area, including the closed Sunoco station. Evidence of the scheme was also found on the laptop recovered from the car.

This case was investigated by the United States Secret Service and the Sarasota County Sherriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jay L. Hoffer.