2 men arrested in Lee County accused of diesel fuel theft, credit card fraud

Writer: Joey Pellegrino
Published: Updated:
Two men were arrested in Lee County on Monday morning, suspected of stealing fuel and committing credit card fraud.
Juan Alfredo Escalona Hidalgo and Raul Torralba. Credit: Lee County Sheriff’s Office

Two men were arrested in Lee County on Monday morning, suspected of stealing fuel and committing credit card fraud.

Juan Alfredo Escalona Hidalgo, 33, of Manatee County, and Raul Torralba, 42, of Lehigh Acres, were arrested after troopers pulled over a 2016 Freightliner truck at around 9:30 a.m. at the Pilot Gas Station located at 6054 Plaza Drive in Lee County. According to the Florida Highway Patrol, the truck and those two occupants were suspected to be involved in diesel fuel theft and credit card fraud, on an earlier date and at a different location.

An inspection of the truck revealed it was stolen out of Miami and illegally equipped with unlawful welded fuel tanks, filled with stolen diesel fuel. Troopers additionally confiscated a credit card skimmer, numerous stolen credit cards and a laptop they say the duo use to defraud people.

Hidalgo and Torralba were transported to the Lee County Jail. Both men face charges of larceny (multiple counts), fraud, resisting arrest without violence, unlawful conveyance of fuel and grand theft auto.

A laptop and allegedly stolen credit cards suspected of use in credit card fraud. Credit: Florida Highway Patrol
The cab of a 2016 Freightliner truck pulled over during the arrests. Credit: FHP
Where fuel tanks were said to have been unlawfully welded on. Credit: FHP

Copyright ©2024 Fort Myers Broadcasting. All rights reserved.

This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without prior written consent.