Six Oil Thieves Plead Guilty to Crude Heist

Six individuals have pleaded guilty to their roles in a massive oil theft scheme that spanned several years. According to court documents, the group stole tens of thousands of barrels of crude oil from Permian Basin producers and resold it at discounted rates.

The defendants, including Gyardo Gonzalez, Mario Mendoza, Miguel A. Soto, Luis Rojo, Diana Marquez Rojo, and Jesus Martin Hernandez-Borja, admitted to stealing the oil between June 2022 and July 2024. They sold the oil to Louis George Edgett and Brenden Floyd Strickland, who bought it for well below market prices - typically paying between $10 and $15 per barrel.

Prosecutors said that one of the conspirators sold 10,975 barrels of stolen crude oil with an estimated market value of $888,975. However, Edgett and Strickland paid only $164,625 for it. Another conspirator sold 9,090 barrels during the first half of 2024, valued at more than $724,000, but purchased for about $136,350.

The defendants face up to five years in federal prison each, except Diana Marquez Rojo, who faces up to three years. They also face fines of up to $250,000 and restitution for victims. Sentencing dates have not yet been scheduled.