LCSO reports cloned credit cards discovered during traffic stop
On Tuesday, Aug. 23, 2011, at approximately 5:57 p.m., a Deputy with the Lee County Sheriff’s Office Echo District conducted a traffic stop on I-75 at mile marker 142 in Fort Myers. The driver of the rented 2010 Hyundai Sonata was stopped for following too closely and failing to maintain a lane. A Sheriff’s Office Highway Interdiction Unit was called to assist.
The driver and passenger were traveling from Miami to an unknown location in Tampa. The vehicle was occupied by two Miami men, one who had a significant history of credit card cloning. During the traffic stop, detectives had conversations with both the driver and passenger. They related conflicting travel plans and were extremely nervous.
A search of the car revealed 43 concealed, counterfeit / cloned credit cards along with a fraudulent Florida Driver’s license with a photo of one of the occupants. The counterfeit / cloned credit cards were made to match the information on the fake license. These false credit cards contained the information of victims of credit card fraud and identity theft in the magnetic strips. Potential losses if the credit cards were used as intended totaled $350,000 dollars.
Joel Rodriguez Sanchez, age 46 (d-o-b 09/05/64), of 4713 NW 7th Street, Apt. 204, Miami, Florida was arrested. The Lee County Sheriff’s Office Economic Crimes Unit responded to assist in the investigation, as did the United States Secret Service. The accused is charged as follows:
Possession of a counterfeit credit cards (43 counts)
Trafficking in cloned credit cards (1 Count)
Possession of a fraudulent driver’s license (1 count)
He has been booked into the Lee County Jail. An inmate photo and additional information is available on the Sheriff’s Office website at www.sheriffleefl.org under Arrest & Inmates / Search Lee County Arrests.