California man pleads guilty to Houston credit card skimming

A California man has pleaded guilty in a Houston-area scam involving skimming devices slipped on gas pumps and data stolen from about 38,000 credit cards.

Harris County District Attorney Devon Anderson on Monday announced 44-year-old Arkadi Minassian of Granada Hills, California, pleaded guilty to fraudulent use of identifying information.

Prosecutors did not immediately provide information on a possible penalty for Minassian, who faces sentencing in August.

Investigators say Minassian on March 29, 2011, stole thousands of credit card numbers using skimming devices attached to gas pumps at two stations in Harris County. Minassian obtained the numbers without removing the devices and wirelessly uploaded the information to his laptop computer.

Further details on his arrest and May 5 plea were not immediately available.