Authorities have arrested 11 people in connection with two recycling fraud investigations, involving Reno-to-Sacramento area routes.Â
On Wednesday, the California Department of Justice said each case involved the collection, illegal transport, and fraudulent redemption of out-of-state used beverage containers through the California Redemption Value program.Â
The first investigation was launched in December 2015 when California authorities say 45-year-old Rocio Zamora and 53-year-old Santiago Zamora (both of Rio Linda) loaded used beverage containers into a rental truck at an unidentified Reno recycling center. Authorities say agents followed the truck into California on a route designed to avoid a required stop at the agriculture checkpoint in Truckee. They say the couple was later seen redeeming the plastic and aluminum at recycling centers in Rio Linda and Sacramento.Â
CalRecycle says subsequent surveillance operations revealed similar activity, with the investigation leading to three family members.Â
In total, in this case, agents arrested five people, seized several guns and found 1,520 pounds of aluminum and 840 pounds of plastic with a potential California Redemption Value of $3,386. The suspects face charges of conspiracy, grand theft and felony recycling fraud.
The second investigation was launched in May 2015 when authorities say they received a tip regarding used beverage containers from Nevada recycling centers being transported to California without legally required documentation.Â
Authorities say information led agents to facilities in Reno and Fernley, where they identified 38-year-old Marco Rodriguez-Montano of Carson City as a primary suspect. They say 46-year-old Herlindo Samayoa of Sacramento and four other people were identified as co-conspirators in a scheme to defraud the California Redemption Value Fund.
During the course of the investigation, agents observed multiple loads of used beverage containers being loaded into rented moving trucks in Reno. The suspects took the material across state lines using routes designed to avoid required stops at the checkpoint in Truckee. The used beverage containers were taken to a storage facility in Sacramento before winding up at a nearby recycling center.
In June, CalRecycle says search warrants were served at two Sacramento locations, and at one location in Carson City.
40-year-old Juan Valdez of Reno, 61-year-old Francisco Limon of Reno, and Samayoa were arrested in Sacramento, while Rodriguez-Montano was arrested in Carson City. Authorities say agents seized 3,580 pounds of aluminum and 2,340 pounds of plastic used beverage containers with a potential California Redemption Value of $8,452.Â
The following day, agents served a search warrant at the Tepeyac Market in Fernley and arrested 49-year-old Jose Martinez-Lozano of Fernley.
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A sixth suspect, 58-year-old Erendida Ramirez of Sacramento, was arrested on September 16.Â
The suspects face charges of conspiracy, grand theft auto and felony recycling fraud.Â
(CalRecycle contributed to this report.)
