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Indictments with 136 felony counts stem from investigation that began in late 2012
Tuesday, April 30, 2013 –
Starting in late 2012, DPS Criminal Investigations Division detectives began investigating a large and complex criminal syndicate suspected of stealing enormous amounts of copper from the ASARCO mine in Hayden, Arizona. Several copper anodes (blanks) were confiscated from a tractor trailer destined for California. The anodes were mined and stolen from the ASARCO mine.
Thefts began as far back as 2006 and totaled $10 million worth of copper.
Most of the stolen copper was sent to a scrap metal yard in California prior to being shipped to international destinations.
Two employees of ASARCO mine are part of the 18 grand jury indictments. RENE JOE ARBIZO and GENE CARLO GARCIA were supervisors at the mine and played critical roles in the thefts. Both Arbizo and Garcia face 10 felony counts each as a result of this investigation. The remaining 16 suspects face a numerous charges to include Illegally Conducting an Enterprise, Conspiracy, Money Laundering, Fraudulent Schemes and Artifices, and Theft. DPS Captain Ryan Young said, “I am extremely proud of DPS and the cooperation of all agencies involved in this international investigation”. Below is a list of the suspects and their role in the thefts:
RENE JOE ARBIZO, supervisor at ASARCO; all counts, warrant issued
GENE CARLO GARCIA, supervisor at ASARCO; all counts, warrant issued
LILLIAN CAMPOS, former contract security guard at ASARCO; all counts, warrant issued
AVELINO RUBAL, transportation
ROBERT ELKINS, transportation
CALEB ELKINS, transportation
QUENTIN ELKINS, transportation
ANGELA RUBAL, transportation
FRANK GARCIA DUARTE, employee of Desert Metals Recycling (Desert Metals is not involved)
TODD KENNEDY, truck driver
WILLIAM STEVENS, truck driver
ALLEN NICHOLS, truck driver
CHUN CHEN PEDROZA, New Star Services employee in Upland, CA, warrant issued
JOANNE HU, New Star Services owner in Upland, CA. currently in Taiwan, warrant issued
CHIHCHAN LIN, New Star Services owner in Upland, CA. Currently in Taiwan, warrant issued
MARCOS GALLEGO, owner of Mariposa Recycling / RECYCO INC. Tucson and Nogales
JESUS MARIANO LUNA VAZQUEZ, supervisor at Mariposa Recycling in Nogales
LOUIS ERNESTO GALLEGO, relative to Marcos Gallego, introduced Rubal to Vazquez
PRESS RELEASE…ARIZONA DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY
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