EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) — Two Santa Teresa railway contractors are accused of stealing thousands of dollars in Garmin watches off freight cars and reselling them for profit, according to a recent federal indictment.
Gerald Ditz, 31, and Michael Alaniz, 35, of El Paso, are charged with conspiracy to transport stolen property, one count of interstate transportation of stolen property, one count of mail and wire fraud conspiracy, and one count of mail fraud.
According to the federal indictment filed in the Department of Justice District of Kansas, Ditz and Alaniz may be among more than a dozen co-conspirators — as many as fifteen percent of the workforce — connected to ConGlobal, Inc. The company employs railway workers at the Santa Teresa train station.
Between May 2023 and May 2024, Ditz and Alaniz are accused of stealing Garmin watches en route to the Garmin warehouse in Olathe, Kansas, from California.
The pair and multiple unnamed co-conspirators allegedly sold watches using eBay. The unknowing buyers registered the watches, where Garmin ultimately located the merchandise.
Ditz is accused of selling at least 37 Garmin watches online, most of which retail for between $599 and $1,124. Alaniz is accused of selling at least 15 Garmin watches online, most purchased for approximately $650.
Ditz and Alaniz appeared before a magistrate judge in El Paso last week. They face 55 years in prison if convicted.
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