FLORIDA — A Florida pastor is facing charges for allegedly operating a multimillion-dollar theft ring that targeted Home Depot stores in seven Florida counties.
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Robert Dell, a pastor in Pinellas County, and four alleged associates have been arrested for stealing merchandise worth more than $1.4 million from home improvement stores across multiple counties and then selling the items from an eBay account, said Attorney General Ashley Moody.
Moody said the Florida Organized Retail Crime Exchange (FORCE) task force investigated and shut down the alleged theft ring.
“Due to the success of FORCE, another retail theft crime ring is dismantled, and our Statewide Prosecutors continue to file charges against organized retail thieves,” said Moody.
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“This pastor clearly skipped over the commandment, ‘thou shall not steal,’” she said.
According to Moody, Dell is a pastor of The Rock Church and the founder of a halfway house serving those recovering from drug addiction in St. Petersburg.
She said the FORCE task force found Dell worked with four accomplices to shoplift Milwaukee, DeWalt, and other branded products from Home Depot stores throughout the counties of Citrus, Hillsborough, Manatee, Pasco, Pinellas, Polk, and Sarasota.
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Alleged co-conspirators Daniel Mace and Jessica Wild are accused of stealing the majority of the merchandise and, on average, victimized stores five to six times a day, Moody said.
The co-conspirators then reportedly delivered the merchandise to Dell’s house to be sold under the eBay store name “Anointed Liquidator.”
According to investigators, Dell demanded the crimes under threat of abuse and used the positions of being a pastor and founder of a hallway house to manipulate other vulnerable people to participate in the criminal scheme.
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Home Depot suspects Dell operated the scheme for more than 10 years, resulting in a loss of more than $5 million.
Authorities also identified Jaclyn Dell, Robert Dell’s wife, and Karen Dell, Robert Dell’s mother, as conspirators. The women allegedly assisted in the collection, shipment, and payment of the stolen goods. Jaclyn Dell faces a charge of conspiracy to RICO, and Karen Dell is charged with dealing in stolen property.
Robert Dell faces charges of racketeering, conspiracy to commit racketeering, and dealing in stolen property as an organizer, all felonies. OSP will handle these cases.
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