Aiexpress – A woman has been indicted by a Cherokee County grand jury for allegedly running a criminal enterprise that involved stealing items from Target stores across multiple states.
Claudia Hornea has been indicted on two counts of the Georgia Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act, as well as the violation of Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO).
Between September 1 and October 17, Hornea and a group of co-conspirators reportedly carried out thefts from Target stores in Georgia, Texas, Alabama, and North Carolina. According to the indictment, a total of 24 Target stores were targeted by Hornea.
The co-conspirators were not named in the indictment.
Hornea is facing allegations of theft, with officials claiming that she has stolen merchandise from Target estimated to be worth more than $100,000. The indictment specifies that the stolen items include a wide range of products, such as skin care products, televisions, clothing, gaming accessories, an Apple watch, toys, ink cartridges, and baby products.
According to court records, Hornea and her criminal enterprise followed a specific set of steps when carrying out thefts at Target stores.
-
- Obtain a driver to drop off and stage during theft
- Utilize children/teens and co-conspirators
- Obtain a box or tote to conceal stolen items
- Utilize a lookout to avoid law enforcement
- Employ counter-surveillance techniques to prevent apprehension
- Commit the crime of theft by shoplifting to support the enterprise
- Resell stolen merchandise for profit
If convicted of a RICO violation, Hornea could potentially face a prison sentence of up to 20 years.
