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GOUKASIAN FOUND GUILTY OF IDENTITY THEFT
By Frank Heinz
NBC 5 Dallas-Fort Worth
http://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/Goukasian-Found-Guilty-of-Identity-Theft-160052695.html
June 22 2012
Man found guilty of skimming tens of thousands of credit cards
After deliberating for three hours, a jury has found Aleksandr
Goukasian guilty on all charges.
Goukasian, a 52-year-old native of Armenia, was accused of skimming
tens of thousands of credit cards at North Texas gas stations and
then using that data to clone credit cards before using them at
ATM machines.
In closing arguments Friday, his defense attorney Abe Factor said
Goukasian was a "mule" who did what others told him to do. Factor
said the only thing Goukasian was guilty of was using other people's
credit cards without permission. Factor had also said Goukasian wasn't
working with other people.
Assistant District Attorney Lori Burks jumped on that in her closing
argument saying, "If the defendant is a mule, who is he a mule for?"
She also said of Goukasian, "If you have nothing to do with skimmers
and gas pumps, why do you have pictures of gas pumps on your camera?"
After the guilty verdict NBC 5's Mark Schnyder asked Burks if Goukasian
was smarter than his defense attorney made him out to be. Burks said,
"Yes he was. He was absolutely involved in every aspect of this
case. He is very deceptive. He is one of those folks that is able to
make you think he's your friend but at the same time is devious."
Goukasian and his attorney did not stick around after the verdict to
speak to the media.
Goukasian was charged with one count of unlawful use of electronic
communications; four counts of unlawful possession of an electronic
intercept device; one count of engaging in organized criminal activity;
and one count of fraudulently possessing or using identifying
information.
Goukasian had a universal key that allowed him to open a common type
of gas pump and install the devices when stores were closed or clerks
weren't watching, police said. The gadgets, encased in Tupperware
and including a wireless transmitter, recorded card numbers and even
personal identification numbers. Devices attributed to Goukasian were
found in Mojave, Calif., Las Vegas, Dallas, Fort Worth and Houston.
His trial was delayed this week after Goukasian took too many sleeping
pills and required hospitalization. The trial was to resume Monday
morning, but Thursday night it was decided that the trial would
continue Friday morning instead.
During Friday's hearing, the defense rested less than a half hour
after the trial continued when Goukasian chose not to testify.
In a deal last year with federal prosecutors, he pleaded guilty to
a charge of using an unauthorized access device.
Sentencing will begin at a later date. Goukasian faces up to 99 years
in prison.
Two others, Arkadi Minassian and Arin Mehrabian are awaiting trail in
Houston in connection with the skimmers. Two other men remain at large.
NBC 5's Mark Schnyder, Scott Gordon, Lindsay Wilcox, Ben Russell and
Amanda Guerra contributed to this report.
By Frank Heinz
NBC 5 Dallas-Fort Worth
http://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/Goukasian-Found-Guilty-of-Identity-Theft-160052695.html
June 22 2012
Man found guilty of skimming tens of thousands of credit cards
After deliberating for three hours, a jury has found Aleksandr
Goukasian guilty on all charges.
Goukasian, a 52-year-old native of Armenia, was accused of skimming
tens of thousands of credit cards at North Texas gas stations and
then using that data to clone credit cards before using them at
ATM machines.
In closing arguments Friday, his defense attorney Abe Factor said
Goukasian was a "mule" who did what others told him to do. Factor
said the only thing Goukasian was guilty of was using other people's
credit cards without permission. Factor had also said Goukasian wasn't
working with other people.
Assistant District Attorney Lori Burks jumped on that in her closing
argument saying, "If the defendant is a mule, who is he a mule for?"
She also said of Goukasian, "If you have nothing to do with skimmers
and gas pumps, why do you have pictures of gas pumps on your camera?"
After the guilty verdict NBC 5's Mark Schnyder asked Burks if Goukasian
was smarter than his defense attorney made him out to be. Burks said,
"Yes he was. He was absolutely involved in every aspect of this
case. He is very deceptive. He is one of those folks that is able to
make you think he's your friend but at the same time is devious."
Goukasian and his attorney did not stick around after the verdict to
speak to the media.
Goukasian was charged with one count of unlawful use of electronic
communications; four counts of unlawful possession of an electronic
intercept device; one count of engaging in organized criminal activity;
and one count of fraudulently possessing or using identifying
information.
Goukasian had a universal key that allowed him to open a common type
of gas pump and install the devices when stores were closed or clerks
weren't watching, police said. The gadgets, encased in Tupperware
and including a wireless transmitter, recorded card numbers and even
personal identification numbers. Devices attributed to Goukasian were
found in Mojave, Calif., Las Vegas, Dallas, Fort Worth and Houston.
His trial was delayed this week after Goukasian took too many sleeping
pills and required hospitalization. The trial was to resume Monday
morning, but Thursday night it was decided that the trial would
continue Friday morning instead.
During Friday's hearing, the defense rested less than a half hour
after the trial continued when Goukasian chose not to testify.
In a deal last year with federal prosecutors, he pleaded guilty to
a charge of using an unauthorized access device.
Sentencing will begin at a later date. Goukasian faces up to 99 years
in prison.
Two others, Arkadi Minassian and Arin Mehrabian are awaiting trail in
Houston in connection with the skimmers. Two other men remain at large.
NBC 5's Mark Schnyder, Scott Gordon, Lindsay Wilcox, Ben Russell and
Amanda Guerra contributed to this report.