A man wanted in Texas was arrested in Buckeye earlier this month and remains in custody as authorities consider extradition, officials said.
Yoandi E. Quezada Valdez, 40, was taken into custody by Buckeye police on December 7 on a fugitive warrant issued in Texas. While the exact charges related to the warrant have not been disclosed, Valdez was previously arrested in connection with a theft ring spanning multiple regions of Texas that defrauded businesses and consumers of more than $500,000, according to Carrollton Police in Texas.
In the earlier case, Valdez and his associates allegedly used skimming devices to steal credit card information, later producing fraudulent cards to purchase diesel fuel and other goods. “The suspects frequently filled high-capacity tanks concealed under the bed cover of pick-up trucks,” Carrollton police said in a news release at the time. The thefts reportedly affected victims across North and East Texas.
Valdez remains in custody at the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office as of December 12. ""He will remain in custody until released by the courts or gets extradited," an MCSO spokesperson said.
The MCSO could not be reached for further comment on any updates of Valdez's status.
It is unclear whether Valdez is a Buckeye resident or if his current arrest is connected to the previous allegations in Texas or something else.
Attempts to contact the Carrollton Police Department for clarification on the current warrant went unanswered.
The investigation involving Valdez has previously included multiple agencies, such as Homeland Security Investigations, the Texas Department of Public Safety, and local police departments in Dallas and Tyler.
