Attorney General Announces Crack Down After Busting Local Identi - KCOY Santa Maria, Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo - News

Attorney General Announces Crack Down After Busting Local Identity Theft Ring

SAN LUIS OBISPO COUNTY, Calif- Attorney General Kamala D. Harris announced that her department will be cracking down on suspects accused of using "skimmed" credit card information. 

Friday the Attorney General's office announced that several people from San Luis Obispo County were sentenced or charged in an identity theft ring.

"Technology benefits consumers, but also opens them up to risks that law enforcement must respond to," said Attorney General Harris. "ATM skimming cases like these are fast-growing, can lead to identity theft and significant financial losses.

News Release from Attorney General Kamala D. Harris

Gnel Snapyan, 35, was sentenced today in San Luis Obispo County Superior Court to 364 days in state prison and five years probation. His co-conspirator, Gervork Aroutiounyan, 48, was sentenced in March 2012 to three years and eight months in state prison. The men were ordered to pay restitution to Chase Bank.     

In a separate scam, Santiago Alcantar, 37, Genea Antoine, 39, and Anthony Garcia, 30, entered a plea of guilty today in San Luis Obispo County Superior Court to one count of conspiracy to commit grand theft, computer access fraud, identity theft, second degree burglary and forgery of access cards. They were charged in March with 14 counts of felony fraud.

Between July 2010 and February 2011, Snapyan fraudulently withdrew approximately $220,000 from the bank accounts of more than 300 victims in Santa Clara, Marin, Fresno, San Luis Obispo counties. 

The case was investigated by the San Luis Obispo County Police Department and the Attorney General's eCrime Unit. In September 2011, the Attorney General's office charged Snapyan and Aroutiounyan with 28 counts of felony fraud. On March 1, the defendants entered a plea of guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit grand theft, computer access fraud, identity theft, second degree burglary and forgery of access cards. Additionally, each pled guilty to three counts of second degree burglary.  

Between October 2010 and February 2011, Alcantar, Antoine, and Garcia ran their skimmer operation in Los Angeles, San Luis Obispo, San Bernardino and Ventura counties. The crew stole approximately $217,000 from more than 200 victims. 

Sentencing is scheduled for July 27, at which time Alcantar will be sentenced to four years in state prison; Antoine to two years in state prison and Garcia to a sentence that will not exceed one year and 4 months.

In both cases, Chase Bank has reimbursed customers for their losses.