DA's office: 3 arrested in sting operation targeting card skimmers
A sting operation targeting people using skimming devices and fraudulent EBT cards to illegally withdraw money from ATMs in Bakersfield led to the arrest of three suspects on 58 felony and misdemeanor charges, the Kern County District Attorney's Office said Tuesday.
Investigators on Friday seized cash totaling $15,702, along with 48 fraudulent credit cards, burglary tools,and devices used to defraud victims.
Law enforcement arrested Mari-Mar Milica, 25, Fernando Stantu, 22, and Alberto-Ionel Baran, 24, a DA's news release said. Charges include money laundering, grand theft, conspiracy, identity theft, fraudulent use of a credit card and fraud using scanning devices.
In addition to the DA's office, the Bakersfield Police Department, Department of Homeland Security, California Department of Social Services EBT Fraud and Theft Detection Unit and the Kern County Sheriff's Office conducted the sting.
The news release noted that skimming, particularly targeting EBT cards, has increased in the past year. In October, a Department of Social Services Skims and Analysis report showed more than $875,000 in benefits were stolen in Kern County.
Criminals steal EBT and other payment card numbers using skimming devices installed at ATMs, gas pumps and stores and encode them onto other cards with magnetic strips, the news release noted.
"It's troubling that criminals are exploiting both taxpayer resources and essential government assistance for their own personal gain. This behavior is not only unethical — it's a serious crime," District Attorney Cynthia Zimmer said in the news release.
