Trio charged with ripping off gas customers

Three California men each are facing two dozen charges for running a sophisticated identity theft ring which netted them nearly $2 million, the Los Angeles County district attorney's office announced Monday. Albert Jose Gonzalez, 39, of Lancaster, Josue Gustavo Albizuras, 42, of Los Angeles and Cesar Vasquez Echeverria, 28, of Santa Clarita installed skimmer devices on computerized pay pumps at gas stations to steal customers' credit and debit card information. The men, who have pleaded innocent, were arrested Feb. 25 after a three-year investigation by members of the Los Angeles Sheriff's Department and the FBI. — AM