COLDWATER, MI (WTVB) – Two Florida men who were charged with installing skimming devices on gasoline pumps last fall in Coldwater were sentenced on Monday in Branch County Circuit Court to longer sentences than what were recommended by the state.
38-year-old William Vergara of Miami and 48-year-old Mario Lorente of Davie both entered guilty pleas to a reduced felony charge of attempted possession of a skimming device.
Judge Bill O’Grady wanted to send a strong message about this type of identity crime as he sentenced Vergara to a term of 17 months to 2 1/2 years with credit for 189 days already served.
Meanwhile, Lorente got a sentence of 20 to 30 months with 191 days of credit time served.
State sentencing guidelines only call for a month behind bars for the charge the two suspects pled guilty to.
The judge decided to allow the Michigan Department of Corrections to review applications for Vergara and Lorente to take part in the department’s boot camp program.
The electronic devices were found at two Shell Stations in Coldwater on November 6th. They are designed to steal credit card and ATM card information whenever someone stops at the gas pump.
Vergara and Lorente were arrested in Huntington County, Indiana a day after the devices were found in Coldwater.
