A man from Paradise, California, was arrested after authorities uncovered a scheme involving more than $31,000 worth of meat purchased with stolen credit cards, according to police reports.
Juan Yepez-Garcia, 51, was taken into custody following an investigation by the Paradise Police Department into suspicious transactions at Sierra Meat and Seafood, a wholesale supplier based in Reno, KRCR reported.
Detectives traced the fraudulent purchases to a specific location and discovered multiple deliveries of meat, valued at approximately $31,883.79, had been arranged under Yepez-Garcia’s direction. Authorities said the suspect admitted he believed the goods might have been stolen.
The delivery driver, who transported the meat to the address, was unaware the credit cards used in the transactions were stolen and was not charged, police confirmed.
Photos obtained by local media show freezers filled with boxes of meat still labeled with the wholesaler’s branding. It remains unclear what Yepez-Garcia intended to do with the large quantity of meat.
He is facing charges related to possession of stolen property and is being held on $15,000 bail, according to court records. Authorities have contacted Sierra Meat and Seafood to coordinate the return of the recovered products.
The investigation is ongoing.