Florida men sentenced to prison for identity theft, conspiracy

CEDAR RAPIDS - Two Florida men who used stolen credit card information to make purchases at Iowa stores were sentenced this week in U.S. District Court.

Maiko Aragon, 24, of Miami, was sentenced to more than three years in prison after pleading guilty last August to one count each of aggravated identity theft and conspiracy to use counterfeit credit cards.

David Viamontes-Pando, 23, also of Miami, was sentenced to one year in prison after pleading guilty last August to the same charges.

Evidence at sentencing shows Aragon, Viamontes-Pando, and another man, Henry Herrera, came to Iowa on multiple occasions in January 2016 and used stolen credit card information to make fraudulent purchases at stores in and around Cedar Rapids.

Testimony during the hearing also shows that Aragon installed a skimming device on a gas pump in order to steal credit card information.

U.S. District Judge Leonard T. Strand also ordered Aragon to pay $19,422 in restitution to victims.

Strand ordered Viamontes-Pando to pay $3,654 in restitution to victims.

Strand during sentencing pointed out their offenses undermined public faith in financial institutions and were driven by greed. He also increased Aragon's prison time due to his leadership role in the operation.

Herrera, who has pleaded guilty to the same offenses, is to be sentenced Feb. 22.

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