Two arrested after attempting to ‘skim’ money from ATM machines in Newberg, McMinnville

A pair of men allegedly attempting to tamper with an ATM machine in Newberg have been arrested following a police investigation.

According to a release from the Newberg-Dundee Police Department, officers were dispatched on the evening of July 12 to the First Federal Savings and Loan location at the corner of Hancock and College streets when an employee witnessed a male tampering with the ATM machine. The officers responded to the scene and sought out the suspects — later identified as 32-year-old Luis Miguel Gonzalez-Pena of Michigan and 48-year-old Adrian Levi of Oregon.

“Officers believe the two suspects were attempting to attach a ‘skimming’ device onto the ATM,” the release said. “These devices are discreet and capture information from a customer’s bank card so a new card can be manufactured with the customer’s information. The manufactured card is then used to fraudulently access funds in the customer’s account.”

After securing a warrant to search the pair’s van, officers seized numerous skimming devices, the release continued.

“We were notified that the suspects were in a silver minivan with California plates,” NDPD Officer Jeromy Pilon wrote in the probable cause affidavit submitted to the court. “Before officers arrived, the suspects had left the ATM. Officers canvassed the area and located the minivan parked in an adjacent lot next to the savings and loan.”

The officers contacted and detained the suspects. Bank officials provided the police with video appearing to depict Gonzalez-Pena and Levi allegedly tampering with the ATM.

“The (First Federal) compliance specialist stated that she observed the minivan pull up to the ATM, a passenger got out and began to tamper with and insert multiple cards into the ATM.” Both suspects, according to court files, admitted to trying to extract money from the ATM.

Apparently, court records indicate, it wasn’t the first time the pair had attempted to tamper with the Newberg ATM; video evidence from the previous day depicted an earlier attempt.

“Adrian could be seen prying on the ATM card reader and attempting to insert a skimming device into the card reader,” Pilon wrote in the affidavit. “Adrian worked on the ATM for approximately five minutes before giving up."

Gonzalez-Pena and Levi were arrested on charges related to attempted fraud, including multiple counts of computer crime, unlawful factoring a credit card and first-degree criminal mischief. They were initially lodged in the county jail in McMinnville. Levi remained there on $200,000 bail as of July 18, but Gonzalez-Pena was not listed on the inmate roster as of that date.

Included in the charges against them are incidents at First Federal locations in McMinnville. Court records show the pair is also suspected of attempting to tamper with an ATM machine there.

“On July 12 … at about 10:23 hours, I responded to both First Federal Bank locations with Cook Solutions Group to inspect the ATM machines,” McMinnville Police Department Officer Derek Randall wrote in a second probable cause affidavit. “The ATM machine card readers were removed and it was determined Adrian was unsuccessful at placing the skimming devices in the ATMs.”

The pair were arraigned on July 15 before Yamhill County Circuit Court Judge Ilisa Rooke-Ley and appointed McMinnville attorney Scott Hodges as defense counsel. Deputy District Attorney Alexa Corzine will serve as prosecutor in the case. An indictment is expected to be handed down by a county grand jury on July 22.

“The Newberg-Dundee police want to make the public aware of these skimming devices,” the NDPD release said. “They are very discreet and hard to detect. Often, they are attached to point of sale terminals at grocery stores or on an ATM. Be on the lookout for suspicious attachments and contact your local police department if you believe you are a victim of fraud.”