Albuquerque, NM (KKOB) –Maxwell Jensen, Thomas Rees, Christopher Ortega, German Ortiz-Santillano and Christian Jesus Contreras Varela face federal charges. The five men are accused of carrying out a scheme to steal hundreds of barrels crude oil daily in New Mexico and sell it. Ortiz-Santillano allegedly used his job at Plains All American Pipeline to give them access. While inside, Contreras Varela allegedly drove the pipeline to connect vacuum and steal the oil before returning to the yard. Rees and his company, Hound Dog Energy, allegedly managed the yard. He allegedly received and sold the stolen oil and covered up the theft. The five face federal charges of interstate transportation of stolen property and aiding and abetting.
