Three Tampa Men Arrested in Marion County Florida Gas Pump Skimming Scam

Friday, the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services’ (FDACS) Office of Agricultural Law Enforcement (OALE) announced three arrests following an investigation into a credit card skimming operation in Marion County.

On February 17th, OALE investigators took Frank Benitez-Lopez, Armando Yeikel Carbonell-Rabi, and Royniel Fabelo-Cedeno into custody on an active arrest warrant. All three suspects are from Tampa, Florida.

“With so many ongoing challenges, the last thing Floridians need is to be preyed upon at the gas pump. That’s why our department and our Division of Consumer Services remain hard at work to keep Floridians from falling victim to credit card skimming,” said Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried.

“After a thorough investigation by our Office of Agricultural Law Enforcement investigators, arrests were made for unauthorized fuel pump entry, with one individual in possession of credit card skimming devices and counterfeit credit cards. I thank our Agricultural Law Enforcement officers and investigators for their vigilance in keeping Floridians protected when they need it most.”

On August 6, 2020 ,OALE investigators were made aware of the possible tampering of a fuel pump installed at a gas station in Marion County, Florida.

Several male subjects were observed accessing the fuel pump in a suspicious manner. Investigators responded to the gas station and made contact with the male subjects.

Acting on information obtained during the investigation, OALE had an arrest warrant signed on February 15, 2021, for the subjects by a judge in the required judicial circuit.

OALE investigators took the subjects into custody on the active arrest warrant on February 17, 2021.

Arrestee information:

Frank Benitez-Lopez, W/M DOB: 02-20-1989, Tampa, Florida 33614

Charges: 

• One (1) count of Unauthorized Access to an Electronic Device, per F.S.S 815.06, (2nd degree felony)
• One (1) count of Criminal Mischief, per F.S.S. 806.13(1)(b)(3), (3rd degree felony)

Armando Yeikel Carbonell-Rabi, W/M DOB: 09-04-1991, Tampa, Florida 33615

Charges: 

• One (1) count of Unauthorized Access to an Electronic Device, per F.S.S 815.06, (2nd degree felony)
• One (1) count of Criminal Mischief, per F.S.S. 806.13(1)(b)(3), (3rd degree felony)

Royniel Fabelo-Cedeno, W/M DOB: 06-18-1989, Tampa, Florida 33614

Charges: 

• Three (3) counts of Unauthorized Access to an Electronic Device, per F.S.S 815.06, (2^nd degree felony)
• Two (2) counts of Criminal Mischief, per F.S.S. 806.13(1)(b)(3), (3^rd degree felony)
• Four (4) counts of the Use of a Scanning Device, per F.S.S. 817.625(2)(a)(1), (3^rd degree felony)
• Twelve (12) counts of the Possession of a Skimming Device, per F.S.S 817.625(2)(c), (3^rd degree felony)
• Four (4) counts of Unlawful Use of a Two-Way Communications Device, per F.S.S 934.21, (3^rd degree felony)