7 arrested in $800K Home Depot organized theft ring spanning across 17 Florida counties, AG says

7 arrested for $800K in organized thefts across Florida

On Tuesday morning, Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier announced charges against seven people for their alleged involvement in a multilevel criminal enterprise centered on stealing smoke detectors from The Home Depot. The business estimates total losses from this organized theft ring are more than $800,000.

FLORIDA - Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier held a news conference on Tuesday morning to announce the arrests of seven people for their alleged involvement in a multilevel criminal enterprise centered on stealing smoke detectors from The Home Depot.

Multi-county, multi-state organized retail theft ring

What we know:

Uthmeier said the operation was led by the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services Office of Agricultural Law Enforcement.

The officials said the months-long investigation dismantled a major criminal enterprise stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars of products from Home Depot stores across Florida.

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Investigators said they uncovered at least 44 smoke detector thefts at The Home Depot locations across 17 Florida counties. 

The Home Depot estimates total losses from the organized theft ring to be more than $800,000. Law enforcement recovered $78,000 in stolen merchandise during the execution of a search warrant at a storage unit in Hillsborough County. Officials believe the location is one of the stops along the trafficking route, before ultimately ending up at a large warehouse in Houston, Texas.

According to law enforcement, an estimated $300,000 worth of product was located at the Texas facility during a search warrant execution by the Houston Police. The seven people arrested share a combined total of more than 170 prior charges between them.

What's next:

Assistant Statewide Prosecutor Ben Grueschow and Chief Assistant Statewide Prosecutor Paul Dontenville will handle the case.

Who are the suspects charged in the investigation?

Dig deeper:

The AG said the following suspects are facing felony charges of conspiracy to commit racketeering, organized retail theft and dealing in stolen property:

• Willie Hendry Delmarta Marquis Harvin
• Earl Choyce Gordon II
• Charles McCloud Jr.
• Eduardo Franco Viruet
• Dwight Rachard Mosby
• Eugene Rohala Oneal
• Hermis Brayan Martinez Sierra

What counties were the thefts committed in?

Local perspective:

The thefts were committed at The Home Depot locations in the following counties:

• Pasco
• Polk
• Highlands
• Hillsborough
• Pinellas
• Orange
• St. Lucie
• Brevard
• Lee
• Manatee
• Flagler
• Sarasota
• Seminole
• Duval
• St. Johns
• Miami-Dade
• Palm Beach 

‘Holding criminals accountable’

What they're saying:

"We are proud that Florida doesn’t have stores with merchandise locked behind glass like you see in California, and we intend to keep it that way," Uthmeier said. 

Commissioner of Agriculture Wilton Simpson said the announcement shows that Florida takes organized retail theft seriously. 

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"While too many states are weakening their laws and turning a blind eye to retail theft, Florida is strengthening its laws and holding criminals accountable," Simpson said. "If you steal from Florida businesses and citizens, expect to be caught and prosecuted." 

"At The Home Depot, combating organized retail crime is about protecting the safety of our customers, associates and communities," Scott Glenn, vice president of asset protection for The Home Depot, said. "We're grateful for the leadership and willingness of Attorney General Uthmeier and Florida lawmakers to stop these criminals, and we remain committed to working with law enforcement and policymakers to address this growing issue."