Acting Attorney General John J. Hoffman announced the indictment today of 13 individuals, including two alleged leaders, on charges they conspired in a shoplifting ring in South Jersey that stole more than $100,000 worth of clothing items from Marshalls and TJ Maxx stores.
The Division of Criminal obtained a state grand jury indictment charging these two alleged leaders of the ring with the second-degree crime of leader of an organized retail theft enterprise:
* Alicia C. Blackburne, 27, of Galloway, N.J., and
* Robert J. Campbell, 29, who lives with Blackburne in Galloway.
*
Blackburne and Campbell also were charged, along with each of the other 11 defendants, with second-degree conspiracy, second-degree shoplifting and third-degree shoplifting.
Shoplifting is graded as a second-degree crime under New Jersey law when it involves thefts totaling more than $1,000 in merchandise committed as part of an organized retail theft enterprise. The second-degree charges carry a sentence of five to 10 years in state prison.
The ring allegedly targeted Marshalls and TJ Maxx stores in Atlantic, Burlington, Camden, Cape May, Cumberland, Gloucester, Ocean and Monmouth counties.
The thefts followed a consistent pattern in which Campbell allegedly would drive Blackburne to a store and she would enter with a large shoulder bag. Blackburne allegedly would place several high-end items of designer women’s clothing into the bag and take them to a bathroom, where she would remove any security devices. She allegedly would leave the store with the stolen items and hand them off to a co-conspirator who rode with her and Campbell or drove separately. That person allegedly would go into the store immediately and conduct a non-receipt return of the stolen clothing, obtaining a TJX Corporation gift card. TJX is the parent company for Marshalls, TJ Maxx and Home Goods. The value of the gift cards ranged from a few hundred dollars to over $800.
It is alleged that Blackburne or Campbell typically pawned the cards at pawn shops to receive approximately half of the face value in cash. It is alleged that between July 2014 and August 2015, the ring stole approximately $102,000 from the targeted stores using this method.
“Organized retail theft cost merchants $44 billion last year nationwide, according to an industry estimate,” said Acting Attorney General Hoffman. “
The indictment also charges the following 11 defendants who allegedly conspired in the thefts, primarily by making non-receipt returns of the stolen clothing to obtain TJX gift cards.
Each is charged with second-degree conspiracy, second-degree shoplifting and third-degree shoplifting.
1. Courtney L. Perkins, 21, of Mays Landing, N.J.,
2. Amanda A. Rivera, 29, of Cape May Court House, N.J.,
3. Julias A. Williams, 57, of Cape May Court House, N.J.,
4. Megan A. Flinn, 20, of Galloway, N.J.,
5. Benett L. Bollinger, 35, of Smithville, N.J.,
6. Jennifer Distefano, 28, of Smithville, N.J.,
7. William H. Lowe, 31, of Cape May Court House, N.J.,
8. Edward J. Vanaman, 26, of Cape May Court House, N.J.,
9. Priscilla E. Laboy, 20, of Petersburg, N.J.,
10. Dylan A. Gallo, 21, of Villas, N.J., and
11. Ashley P. Blackburne, 20, of Cape May Court House, N.J., who is Alicia Blackburne’s niece.
Second-degree crimes carry a sentence of five to 10 years in state prison and a fine of up to $150,000, while third-degree crimes carry a sentence of three to five years in prison and a fine of up to $15,000.