Community Corner

Fifth Suspect in $218,000 Macy's Gift Card Scheme Arrested

Richard Reyes Duenas, 30, was extradited from Las Vegas Wednesday and booked at the Walnut-Diamond Bar Sheriff's station.

The alleged ringleader of a Macy's gift card scheme that targeted 41 stores, including the Puente Hills Mall location in the City of Industry, has been nabbed in Las Vegas.

Richard Reyes Duenas, 30, was extradited from Nevada on Wednesday and booked at the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department's Walnut-Diamond Bar station, according to a news release.

Duenas was wanted in connection with the alleged theft of gift cards valued at $218,000 from Macy's stores across California, authorities said.

Authorities have been searching for him since 2012.

On Dec. 6, 2010, deputies from the Lakewood Sheriff's station stopped Duenas for a reported traffic violation. During the traffic stop, Duenas, who authorities referred to as a "sovereign citizen," allegedly became resistive and was arrested, according to the sheriff's department.

While searching Duenas' car, the deputies found 16 fraudulent Macy's gift cards.

The Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office charged Duenas with one count of grand theft, one count of conspiracy to commit fraud, three counts of acquiring access to card account information to commit grand theft, and nine counts of access card forgery in connection with gift card fraud associated with Macy's Department Store on Jan. 25, 2012, according to the news release.

The case was forwarded to the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department Commercial Crimes Bureau for investigation.

The investigating revealed that Duenas was allegedly getting Macy's gift card account numbers and associated PIN codes.  He used the account and PIN numbers to forge gift cards using inactive stolen ones from Macy's, authorities said.

Duenas' associates allegedly sold the cards on the street.  Duenas and his crew  also used the cards to buy Apple electronics, authorities said. 

Four of Duenas' crew were arrested and charged in 2012. Those arrested were Brent Justin Delgadillo, charged with one count of grand theft, one count of conspiracy to commit fraud, and 10 counts of access card forgery and Noemi Fuentefria, charged with one count of grand theft, one count of conspiracy to commit fraud, seven counts of access card forgery, and one count of access card sales.

Geovani Vega was charged with one count grand theft, one count conspiracy, four counts access card forgery and one count of acquiring access card account information to commit grand theft; and Daniel Alvarez was charged with one count grand theft and one count conspiracy.

They were all arrested on May 16 and 17 of last year and have been prosecuted.

Duenas, who had remained at large, has been living in Las Vegas.  The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department received a tip and arrested Duenas, authorities said.

The defendant waived extradition and was transported to the Walnut sheriff's station.  He is being held on $218,000 bail.

Anyone with information or questions regarding this case is asked to contact Detective R. Barton at 562-946-7217.

The following is a list of the Macy’s stores targeted:

Macy's Beverly Center, Los Angeles

Macy's Burbank Town Center, Burbank

Macy's Chula Vista Center, Chula Vista

Macy's Del Amo, Torrance

Macy's El Cajon Parkway Plaza, El Cajon

Macy's Fashion Valley Mall, San Diego

Macy's Fox Hills, Culver City

Macy's Glendale Galleria, Glendale

Macy's Horton Plaza, San Diego

Macy's La Cumbre Plaza, Santa Barbara

Macy's Laguna Hills, Laguna Hills

Macy's Lakewood, Lakewood

Macy's Laurel Plaza, North Hollywood

Macy's Los Cerritos, Cerritos

Macy's Manhattan Beach, Manhattan Beach

Macy's Mission Valley, San Diego

Macy's Mission Viejo, Mission Viejo

Macy's Montclair Plaza, Montclair

Macy's Montebello Town Center, Montebello

Macy's Newport Fashion Island, Newport Beach

Macy's Northcounty Fair, Escondido

Macy's Northridge Fashion Center, Northridge

Macy's Plaza, Los Angeles

Macy's Plaza Bonita, National City

Macy's Pleasanton, Pleasanton

Macy's Puente Hills, City of Industry

Macy's San Bernardino Island Center, San Bernardino

Macy's Serramonte, Daly City (San Francisco)

Macy's Sherman Oaks, Sherman Oaks

Macy's South Bay Galleria, Redondo Beach

Macy's South Coast Plaza - Main, Costa Mesa

Macy's South Coast Plaza - Home, Costa Mesa

Macy's Southland, Hayward

Macy's Sunnyvale, Sunnyvale

Macy's Thousand Oaks, Thousand Oaks

Macy's Topanga Plaza, Canoga Park

Macy's University Town Center, La Jolla

Macy's Ventura Pacific View, Ventura

Macy's Victoria Gardens, Rancho Cucamonga

Macy's Westside Pavillions, Los Angeles

Macy's Woodland Hills Promenade, Woodland Hills





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