Seven people are behind bars today following a sweeping investigation into an organized retail theft ring that systematically targeted beauty and fragrance products across Florida. Attorney General James Uthmeier announced the arrests, describing the group as a coordinated criminal enterprise that moved stolen merchandise through a sophisticated fencing operation.
The investigation, which spanned from November 2024 through the summer of 2025, revealed that the group caused tens of thousands of dollars in losses for major retailers. Targets included CVS, Walgreens, Publix, Burlington, and Ulta Beauty locations across the South, Central, and West Florida regions.
“This was a coordinated criminal enterprise that robbed retailers across Florida and turned stolen goods into illicit proceeds,” Uthmeier said. “We will continue working closely with our law enforcement partners to protect Florida businesses, keep prices low for consumers, and quickly dismantle organized retail theft rings from the ground up.”
Investigators say the group utilized “boosters” who traveled to various stores to fill bags with high-end health and beauty supplies. These stolen items were then sold to Naychel Jerez, a Hialeah-based “fence.”
Jerez allegedly resold the merchandise on digital platforms like OfferUp and Facebook Marketplace. When authorities executed a search warrant at Jerez’s home, they recovered $123,966 worth of stolen goods, along with anti-theft removal tools, a cash counting machine, and more than $51,000 in cash.
“Organized retail theft is not just about stolen merchandise, it is about coordinated criminal activity that impacts families, small businesses, and our entire community,” said Miami-Dade Sheriff Rosie Cordero-Stutz. “In Miami-Dade County and throughout Florida, we will continue working with our state and local partners to identify these networks, disrupt their operations, and ensure they face the full consequences under the law.”
The defendants—Naychel Alvarez Jerez, 36; John Kevin Romero, 22; Josue Rego Romero, 29; Albert Mario Socorro Alvarez, 28; Jose Carlos Perez Salgado, 30; Antonio Perez Torres, 26; and Lissette Rodriguez, 34—are currently held at the Martin County Jail. Charges range from conspiracy to commit racketeering and organized retail theft to dealing in stolen property.
Law enforcement leaders across the state emphasized the gravity of the operation. Martin County Sheriff John Budensiek noted that these “traveling criminals” were targeting hardworking business owners and driving up costs for local residents. Palm Beach County Sheriff Ric Bradshaw added that the case sends a clear message that such theft “will not be tolerated.”
The crackdown comes in the wake of HB 549, a 2024 law signed by Governor DeSantis that stiffened penalties for organized retail theft. Under these new guidelines, some of the defendants face a maximum sentence of up to 80 years in state prison.
“Retail theft at all levels is a direct attack on our businesses and communities,” said Scott Shalley, President and CEO of the Florida Retail Federation. “I am grateful to the Attorney General James Uthmeier, our law enforcement officers and prosecutors for their relentless pursuit of justice.”
The joint operation was led by the Office of Statewide Prosecution alongside sheriff’s offices in Martin, Miami-Dade, and Palm Beach counties, with further support from police departments in Palm Bay and Palm Beach Gardens, and the Sarasota and St. Lucie sheriff’s offices.
“Criminal enterprises don’t worry about jurisdictional barriers, and now we don’t have to, either,” said Statewide Prosecutor Brad McVay.
The case will be prosecuted by Assistant Statewide Prosecutors Chris Olowin and Monique Wilson in Florida’s Nineteenth Judicial Circuit.
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