Man in U.S. illegally found with 528 prepaid gift cards in Coast traffic stop, DOJ says
A Cuban man in the U.S. illegally pleaded guilty to knowingly possessing 15 or more unauthorized counterfeit devices after being found with hundreds of prepaid gift cards, according to a release from the Department of Justice.
Duniesky Vizcay De La Cruz, 34, was pulled over on Dec. 6, 2017. Authorities found about 528 “Vanilla MasterCard” prepaid gift cards in his luggage.
The gift cards, purchased with victims’ money, totaled nearly $90,000, according to the release.
The gift cards were purchased from stores in Georgia and Florida days before the traffic stop. De La Cruz was charged with the crime in a March 2019 indictment.
De La Cruz admitted guilt Wednesday before U.S. District Judge Sul Ozerden in Gulfport. He faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
His sentencing is set for Nov. 21.
This story was originally published August 23, 2019 at 9:36 AM.
