On December 17th, officers responded to 1097 E. Duane (Valero Gas Station) for reports of a theft in progress that was being witnessed by a store employee via their surveillance system. The reporting party recognized the suspect as an individual who had previously gained unauthorized access to the gas pump computer to commit fraud multiple times. A felony affidavit was out for his arrest. Officers arrived on scene and conducted high risk stops on two involved vehicles. Three suspects, Michael Muaddi, Jesse Cota Jr. and Erica Luna, were detained.
After further review of the video, Muaddi, who the individual wanted for a felony affidavit, was witnessed activating a computer for a fuel pump adjacent to a vehicle occupied by Cota Jr, pumping gas to the vehicle, and placing a bag in an adjacent garbage can. Officers located the bag placed in the garbage can by Muaddi and located 169.4 grams of methamphetamine and 13 pills of prescription medication Tadalafil. Muaddi was arrested for the felony affidavit (CR22-10175), PC 502 (c)(1) - Unauthorized Computer Access to Defraud, HS 11378 - Possession of a Methamphetamine for Sales, PC 182(a)(1) - Conspiracy to Commit Crime, PC 484(a) - Petty Theft, PC 496 -Possessing/Receiving Stolen Property, and PC 135. Cota Jr and Erica Luna were arrested for PC 182(a)(1) - Conspiracy to Commit Crime, PC 484(a) - Petty Theft, and PC 496 -Possessing/Receiving Stolen Property.
On December 14th, three additional suspects were arrested for stealing gas from the same Valero station. Read case here https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=476149501326551&id=100067945140558&mibextid=qC1gEa. These cases are associated. In total, these suspects have stolen 30,000 gallons of gas from this station, caused damage to pumps totaling $20,000, equaling a total loss of $200,000.
