On Saturday, November 25, 2023, authorities reported a major diesel theft at the EZ Mart Convenience Store located in the 900 block of East Dallas. The incident, captured on video surveillance, revealed four suspects exploiting a device on gas pumps to pilfer 1900 gallons of diesel, amounting to a loss of $7200 in the early morning hours of Tuesday, November 21st.
The thieves, identified through surveillance footage utilizing a tractor truck, a commercial box truck, and a white passenger truck, were found to be part of an organized theft ring. An investigation spanning multiple days revealed that the same individuals were responsible for diesel thefts in Commerce and Paris, prompting a broader inquiry into their activities across the metroplex area.
A breakthrough in the investigation led to the identification of one suspect, 28-year-old Arlington resident Yurisman Martinez-Del Risco. The Delta County Sheriff’s Office issued a warrant for his arrest on charges of Theft over $2500 and under $30,000, a State Jail Felony in Texas. A parallel warrant was also issued in Comanche County, West Texas, for the same offense.
On January 1, 2024, Martinez-Del Risco was apprehended for speeding in Celina, Texas. Transported to the Delta County Jail on January 2, 2024, he faces charges related to theft and engaging in organized criminal activity in Delta and Comanche Counties, amounting to a total bond of $200,000.
The investigation further revealed the involvement of two additional suspects. Pedro Julio Ruiz Llanes, a 32-year-old Cuban citizen, remains at large and is believed to be in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, with possible ties to Miami and California. The second suspect, 35-year-old Dallas resident Eric Flores, owner of the commercial box truck used in the thefts, also has ties to Dallas and west Texas.
Law enforcement is seeking public assistance in locating Ruiz Llanes and Flores. Anyone with information on their whereabouts is urged to contact local law enforcement or the Delta County Sheriff’s Office at (903)395-2146. Multiple warrants, including theft charges and engaging in organized criminal activity, have been issued for the apprehension of both suspects.
