Traffic Stop Leads to Prison Sentence for Credit Card Fraud

BEAUMONT � A 27-year-old Tamaulipas, Mexico, man has been sentenced to federal prison for credit card fraud-related charges following a Nacogdoches traffic stop. Samuel Rivera Compean pleaded guilty April 16 to possession of 15 or more unauthorized access devices. He was sentenced in Beaumont yesterday to 37 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Ron Clark. Compean was ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $58,754 to Discover Financial Services, a credit card issuer.

Federal prosecutors say, Compean was stopped by a state trooper for a traffic violation in Nacogdoches on March 16, 2012. During the traffic stop, 146 fraudulent credit cards were discovered in different names with matching false identification cards bearing Compean�s picture. The cards were found in various secret compartments in the car. Compean also had numerous electronic items purchased with the cards including ipads, ipods, Xboxes, and laptop computers. Compean attempted to flee on foot but was apprehended after a short foot chase. He was released later on bond by a local judge. Compean was indicted by a federal grand jury on February 6, 2013, and charged with federal credit card fraud charges. Compean will be deported following his prison sentence.