East Texas Police Bust Multi-State ATM Crime Ring

(KNUE-FM) Three men have now been arrested in East Texas for what is being described as a multi-state ATM jackpotting scheme. According to KETK, three men were taken into custody for ATM “jackpotting” which is a scheme where suspects scout out an ATM machine, open it, and connect Raspberry Pi devices which then allows an off-site accomplice to wirelessly force the ATM to dispense cash to the suspects at the scene.

What Is ATM Jackpotting and How Does It Work?

Once the cash was taken from the machine it was given to criminal associates outside of the United States. According to documents, the suspects at the ATMs would need to be in constant communication with the off-site accomplice for the jackpotting to be successful.

Where Investigators Tracked the ATM Scheme

A scout vehicle was recorded on security footage during an attempted jackpotting scheme in Ardmore, Oklahoma on September 28, 2025. The same vehicle was again used to scout another ATM at Southside Bank on Three Lakes Parkway in Tyler on December 19, 2025.

On January 11, 2026, that same vehicle was seen in Green Forest, Arkansas near an ATM at the Bank of 1889, and another jackpotting attempt was made and reported.

Investigators spotted the vehicle on security footage at a Phillips 66 gas station in Green Forest. That is when they were able to identify the driver as Luis Miguel Oviedo Rico and the other occupant in the vehicle as Elvis Rafael Oviedo Rico, both are Dallas residents.

At that time both suspects were arrested and charged with engaging in organized criminal activity in connection to jackpotting schemes.

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Who Investigators Say Coordinated the Jackpotting Operation

Suspects told investigators that a man known as “El Mecanico” - “The Mechanic” was coordinating the jackpotting operations. After arresting another suspect and investigating the suspect’s phone, law enforcement was able to identify “El Mecanico” as “MichaelToloza” on the phone app WhatsApp. A further search identified him as Mickael Freney Toloza Parra.

Parra was arrested on March 30 by the Smith County Sheriff’s Office for engaging in organized criminal activity.

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Gallery Credit: Cindy Campbell