3 arrested in large credit card skimming scheme
Ramirez-Salgado
Alvarez-Santos
Garcia-Fernandez
Press Release, State Police
ALBION – State Troopers and the Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI) on Tuesday arrested Yordani Ramirez-Salgado, 27 of Miami, FL, Ernesto Alvarez-Santos, 20 of Hialeah, FL and Abel Garcia-Fernandez, 31 of Hialeah, FL for Forgery 2nd (D-Felony), Possession of a Forged Instrument 2nd (D-Felony), Grand Larceny 4th (E-Felony), Scheme to Defraud 1st (E-Felony), Conspiracy 5th (A-Misdemeanor) and Resisting Arrest (A-Misdemeanor).
On Tuesday at 1:59 pm, Troopers and BCI responded to Walmart in Albion for men attempting to use fraudulent gift cards. When Troopers and BCI investigators approached Ramirez-Salgado, he attempted to flee and resisted arrest.
Ramirez-Salgado was transported to the State Police barracks in Albion for processing. The other suspects fled the scene in a red Nissan Versa which was given out by the Orleans County Sheriff’s Office. This vehicle was later located by an off duty county dispatcher traveling on State Route 98. With the assistance of an Orleans County deputy that vehicle was stopped and Garcia-Fernandez, Alvarez-Santos where detained and transported to the State Police in Albion.
All three were remanded to Orleans County Jail on $100,000 bail.
The three suspects have traveled from Florida to New York for the purpose of obtaining credit card information. These three suspects are believed to be a smaller part of a larger group of suspects who are using devices and the Internet to obtain credit card information.
The State Police is working with the Secret Service, Niagara County Sheriff’s Office, Orleans County Sheriff’s Office, Genesee County Sheriff’s Office and other local law enforcement agencies in the area.
At this time it is possible that hundreds of credit card information has been taken.
This is still an ongoing criminal investigation.
If you are a victim of credit card fraud contact your County Dispatch non-emergency number.
Allegany County Sheriff’s Office 585-268-9600
Cattaraugus County Sheriff’s Office 716-938-9191
Chautauqua County Sheriff’s Office 716-664-3100
Erie County Sheriff’s Office 716-858-2903
Genesee County Sheriff’s Office 585-343-5000
Niagara County Sheriff’s Office 716-438-3394
Orleans County Sheriff’s Office 585-589-5528
Wyoming County Sheriff’s Office 585-786-2255
