Six Plead Guilty to Stealing Tens of Thousands of Barrels of Crude Oil

Seventeen individuals are facing charges in connection with a conspiracy to steal tens of thousands of barrels of crude oil from Permian Basin producers in eastern New Mexico. The oil was then sold at discounted rates, generating significant profits for those involved.

The scheme involved 14 defendants, six of whom have already pleaded guilty to their roles in the conspiracy. Those who pleaded guilty are: Gyardo Gonzalez, Mario Mendoza, Miguel A. Soto, Luis Rojo, Diana Marquez Rojo, and Jesus Martin Hernandez-Borja.

According to court documents, the defendants stole oil from producers and sold it to Louis George Edgett and Brenden Floyd Strickland at below-market prices. Edgett and Strickland paid between $10 and $15 per barrel, significantly less than the West Texas Intermediate market price.

The profits generated by the scheme were substantial. One conspirator admitted selling 10,975 barrels of stolen crude oil between June 2022 and July 2024, with an estimated market value of $888,975 but being sold for $164,625. Another conspirator sold 9,090 barrels during the first half of 2024, valued at over $724,000 but being paid about $136,350.

The seven-count indictment also alleges that James Darrell Reid and Randell Reid purchased the stolen oil from Edgett and Strickland at below-market prices. The Reids transported the oil across the New Mexico-Texas state line to their business in Seminole before selling it to midstream buyers.