Texas Oilfield Worker Pleads Guilty to Theft, Exporting Trucks to Mexico

The U.S. Attorney’s office for the Western District of Texas announced that David Gonzales Pando, 27, of Midland has pleaded guilty in federal court to stealing two trucks worth $1 million belonging to his employer, Bobcat Pressure Control Inc., and illegally exporting them to the Republic of Mexico in March 2008.

According to the announcement released by U.S. Attorney Johnny Sutton’s office, Pando, in his plea to the federal charge of transportation of stolen vehicles in foreign commerce, admitted that he and another individual arranged for two 2007 Kenworth truck tractors, one with a mounted pumping unit and another with a drop deck trailer, to be stolen from Bobcat’s yard in Odessa on March 12, 2008.

Pando had access to the yard by virtue of his employment at the company. Pando further admitted arranging for the two trucks to be transported to Mexico, crossing illegally at a low-water point near Ruidosa, Texas, in the early morning hours the next day.

The two trucks, with accompanying trailers and mounted equipment, had an approximate aggregate value in the neighborhood of $1 million.

Pando faces up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine when he is sentenced in April. In addition, federal law requires that he be ordered to make full restitution to Bobcat as part of his sentence.

Related charges remain pending against co-defendant Steven Ray Pinedo, 25, of Odessa.

The case was investigated by agents with United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the Texas Department of Public Safety. Assistant United States Attorney John S. Klassen is prosecuting the matter for the Government.

Source: U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Texas