Five suspects have been arrested in connection with an organized diesel fuel theft scheme that spanned multiple counties in Northwest Florida, with investigators saying the defendants used strong magnets to bypass fuel pump payment systems. The Office of Agricultural Law Enforcement has charged the suspects with multiple felonies, including organized fraud, retail fuel theft by physically tampering with a fuel dispenser, and grand theft.
Sergio Machin, 37, of Homestead was arrested on Feb. 25 in Walton County and released the same day on $11,000 bond. Elieser Perez, 31, of Miami was arrested on Feb. 18 in Santa Rosa County and released on Feb. 19 on $18,500 bond. Sofiel Ferino, 55, of Miami Gardens was arrested on Feb. 24 in Santa Rosa County and released on Feb. 25 on $15,000 bond.
Alain De Jesus Aguila-Martinez, 26, was arrested on Feb. 8 in Escambia County and released on Feb. 10 on $21,000 bond. Sediel Carrazana, 35, of Hialeah also faces charges, though details of his arrest were not available. Agricultural investigators say four of the individuals in the Santa Rosa County case used strong magnets to manipulate fuel pump components, a common method for stealing fuel.
“They’re relatively strong magnets. They’re used up to mechanically override a component inside the pump that would allow fuel to flow freely bypassing the point of sale portion of the pump,” said Captain Brad Brady with the Office of Agricultural Law Enforcement. “They know right where to stick that magnet that’ll mechanically open a component to allow fuel to pump.” Surveillance footage showed the suspects filling up multiple semi trucks with diesel fuel after tampering with pumps.
The scheme caused significant financial losses for fuel stations, including the Love’s Travel Stop in Santa Rosa County. Truck driver James Chapman, who has been driving for 35 years, understands the high cost of diesel fuel that makes it an attractive target for thieves. “About $800, I guess, to fill it up,” Chapman said about filling his truck’s two 80 gallon diesel tanks, though some semi trucks have larger tanks that can hold up to 150 gallons of fuel.
“Based off our experience with this, people that are engaging this type of fuel theft, they’re either selling the fuel on the black market or it could be associated with some other somewhat legitimate business,” Brady said. “So a trucking business, if you have an owner operator, one of his most expensive line item overheads is fuel.” The captain noted that fuel theft operations often involve selling stolen diesel to trucking companies looking to reduce overhead costs.
In another case, officers at the Agricultural Inspection Station in Pensacola made an arrest during a regulatory inspection that led to one of the defendants. “The vehicle matched the description of this truck involved in a multi-county fuel theft operation,” Brady said. “During the inspection, K9 units detected narcotics. The officer discovered a concealed magnet.” The discovery of the hidden magnet linked the suspect to the broader fuel theft scheme.
The arrests come as Florida has recently strengthened penalties for fuel theft crimes. A law that took effect in July 2023 created new criminal penalties for using devices like magnets to manipulate fuel pumps and steal gas or diesel. The legislation was designed to address the growing problem of organized fuel theft operations that target commercial fuel stations.
“We are expecting future arrests. Like I said, we have several open cases and there are multiple defendants out there that are wanted right now for these types of cases that were spanning out in that area in the panhandle of Florida,” Brady said. The captain indicated the investigation could extend beyond state borders, as fuel theft schemes often involve interstate criminal networks targeting truck stops and commercial fuel stations across multiple states.