<Update on Heisted Dell Computers>
Just a little something to pass the time until DELL starts hiking
upward again....the next week should be GREAT.
T.R.
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Dell computer thieves sentenced
On the Web: Dell
By Kim Sue Lia Perkes
American-Statesman Staff
Published: July 10, 1998
On Thursday, a federal judge gave four Dell computer thieves their own version of Windows, complete with hardware: They're going to a federal prison.
The Florida men were caught as they tried to heist $750,000 worth of Dell computers 11 months ago. U.S. District Judge James Nowlin sentenced 31-year-old Alberto Diaz to two years, 29-year-old Alexis Lage to 30 months, Reydell Oviedo to 33 months and 26-year-old Jose Luzardo to four years in prison. A fifth suspect in the robbery, 26-year-old Armando Pedroso, was acquitted in April.
U.S. Assistant Attorney Dan Mills, who prosecuted the defendants, says the caper happened this way:
On Sept. 4 or 5, Dell set out a UPS Worldwide Logistics trailer loaded with computers on the street by its plant. The company routinely parked unguarded trailers containing equipment worth millions on the street because the loading dock was too small.
The robbers hooked up their truck cab to the trailer and drove off to the 221 Truck Stop and Motel in Buda, where they checked in. Four days later, they rented a warehouse on St. Elmo Street in Austin where they unloaded the stolen merchandise into another truck. They left behind $35,000 in Dell computers that wouldn't fit into the new trailer.
As both trucks headed toward Houston, they passed Texas state trooper Rocky Stone, who pulled over the rear truck for following too closely.Lage, the driver, could not produce a log book or proof of Texas registration -- a $195 fine. Lage and his passenger, Luzardo, told Stone the lead truck could provide the log book and pay the fine.
Stone pulled over the other truck, but Diaz and Armando Pedroso denied knowing Lage and Luzardo. Then, the two produced a log book showing they carried only a 20-pound load. After looking in the back of the trailer and finding the computers jammed in, Stone arrested the men.
Now behind federal bars, will the four pals be able to e-mail their friends outside?
"I don't know about that," Mills said.
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