A Peruvian national living in Edison, New Jersey, has pleaded guilty in federal court to participating in a credit card and identity theft scheme. David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that Erick Christian Luna de la Cruz, 34, admitted guilt to conspiracy to commit access device fraud.
Court documents and statements indicate that law enforcement began investigating in 2022 after a series of distraction thefts targeting mostly elderly women at Trader Joe’s, TJ Maxx, and other retail stores across Connecticut and other states. Investigators found that Luna de la Cruz and others traveled throughout the U.S., stealing wallets from unsuspecting victims. They then used stolen credit and debit cards to buy electronic devices and other goods at various stores. The group shipped these items to an associate’s address in New Jersey.
Luna de la Cruz faces up to five years in prison for the offense. He was arrested on June 28, 2024, and is currently released on a $100,000 bond with electronic monitoring while awaiting sentencing scheduled for April 22.
The investigation involves the Federal Bureau of Investigation and several local law enforcement agencies from Connecticut, Virginia, South Carolina, Rhode Island, North Carolina, and Tennessee. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nathan J. Guevremont and Michael S. McGarry are prosecuting the case.
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