A Palm Beach couple is behind bars on charges of leading a retail theft ring following a state investigation into organized crime in South Florida during the Summer and Fall.
Officials arrested Caleb Rashaun Frederick and Ne’osha Lasha Taylor, both 29 years old, on a combined 12 felony charges. Investigators say the two engaged in more than 40 documented thefts at retailers between Sept. 3 and Nov. 14 in Palm Beach and Broward counties.
They’re accused of stealing primarily household appliances and laundry products from retailers including Target, Publix, Walgreens, Dollar General, Winn-Dixie, Walmart, Macy’s, BJ’s Wholesale and JCPenney.
“These types of thefts burden Florida’s families by driving up prices as stores try to cover their losses,” said Attorney General James Uthmeier. “We are going to prioritize the safety and well-being of law-abiding Floridians by putting thieves behind bars and keeping prices down.”
The arrests were made following a joint investigation between the Office of Statewide Prosecution and the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office.
The case comes as Uthmeier announced in November the establishment of a Retail Theft Special Task Force. The unit is designed to break up organized retail theft rings in Florida.
The Task Force provides local law enforcement agencies with resources and removes jurisdictional barriers, enabling them to close cases. It also promotes collaboration between agencies to eliminate obstacles that could stymie investigations of crimes that cross municipal boundaries.
Uthmeier said in a news release that Frederick and Taylor committed the retail theft jointly and were selling the products on Facebook’s Marketplace.
Frederick is facing one count of organized retail theft, five counts of dealing in stolen property and one count of false verification of ownership.
Taylor was charged with one count of organized retail theft and four counts of dealing in stolen property.
Chris Olowin, the Senior Assistant Statewide Prosecutor, and Monique Wilson, an Assistant Statewide Prosecutor in Uthmeier’s Office, will handle the court cases. If found guilty, Frederick and Taylor could face prison sentences of 95 years and 75 years, respectively.
