Two men accused of stealing 350 gallons of diesel from Maryville gas station in ‘elaborate scheme’

BLOUNT COUNTY, Tenn. (WATE) — Two men are facing multiple charges after allegedly leading Blount County Sheriff’s Office deputies on a low-speed chase and reportedly stealing 350 gallons of diesel fuel in an “elaborate scheme.”

The Blount County Sheriff’s Office reported on Tuesday that Arianley Camejo-Morales, 28, of Miami, Florida and Roberto Gutierrez-Morales, 23, of Houston Texas are facing charges following the incident.

According to the sheriff’s office, a deputy patrolling East Lamar Alexander Parkway Thursday evening noticed an older model Dodge Caravan sitting at Lem’s Korner in Maryville, with the driver reportedly rocking back and forth in his seat. The deputy returned to the store and saw the van pull out of the parking lot and head west on East Lamar Alexander Parkway well below the speed limit.

As the deputy caught up to the Dodge, a Nissan Quest reportedly pulled in between the Dodge and the deputy, BCSO said. When the deputy initiated his lights, the Nissan then pulled over but sped up and traveled alongside the deputy.

BCSO said that the driver of the Dodge, later identified as Camejo-Morales, refused to stop and continued to travel at low speeds onto Merritt Road to South Dogwood and then onto Sevierville Road before striking a tree in the 2200 block of Sevierville road. Then, both Camejo-Morales and passenger Gutierrez-Morales fled on foot but were located and arrested by deputies a short time later according to the sheriff’s office.

BCSO said as deputies searched the Dodge Caravan, they found a 250-gallon gas tank and two 50-gallon cylinder containers filled with diesel fuel. The van also reportedly had a hole cut in the floorboard that deputies believe was utilized to siphon fuel from gas station holding tanks without leaving the vehicle, the sheriff’s office said. More than 300 gallons of fuel was returned to the business it was taken from, according to BCSO.

The Maryville Fire Department also responded to the scene to assure that the vehicle was safe because there was a car battery wired to the fuel tanks, along with pumping devices in the back passenger area of the van.

Arianley Camejo-Morales was charged with theft, impeding the flow of traffic and two counts of evading arrest. He is being held at the Blount County Correctional Facility on bonds totaling $18,000 pending a heading in court on Wednesday.

Roberto Gutierrez-Morales was charged with theft and resisting arrest. He is being held at the Blount County Correctional Facility on bonds totaling $10,000 pending a hearing in court on Wednesday.

The BCSO Criminal Investigations Unit is still working to determine if the driver of the Nissan was involved in the incident and if the apparent fuel-siphoning incident could be far-reaching.

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