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2 Plead Guilty in String of California Jewelry Thefts
Officials said the men and two other suspects stole more than $1 million in jewelry from Sam’s Club and JC Penney stores in nine counties.
Oakland, Calif.—Two members of what California officials are describing as an “organized retail theft ring” that operated across nine counties have pleaded guilty, and one has been sentenced.
According to the office of California Attorney General Rob Bonta, Anton Malik Salaam of Mountain View, California, and Marion Paul Tilley of Campbell, California, worked with two other suspects to steal about $1 million in jewelry from Sam’s Club and JC Penney stores.
Between September 2020 and February 2021, the suspects “entered … by breaking and entering through exterior doors” of stores stretching from Placer County north of Sacramento to Los Angeles and San Bernardino counties in Southern California.
Officers found jewelry and jewelry cases in two defendants’ homes that linked them to the thefts, the attorney general’s office said.
The arrests and pleas follow a coordinated investigation involving multiple law enforcement agencies in California.
Salaam was sentenced to 16 months while Tilley agreed to a 16-month prison sentence but has not yet been sentenced, the attorney general’s office said.
The third suspect—identified in court documents as Shamelia Demonica Clay of Campbell, California—has been charged with organized retail theft and child endangerment for allegedly having an assault weapon in the presence of a child.
The fourth suspect—identified in court documents as Rico Cornelius Raushing of Fresno, California—was also charged with organized retail theft.
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According to the office of California Attorney General Rob Bonta, Anton Malik Salaam of Mountain View, California, and Marion Paul Tilley of Campbell, California, worked with two other suspects to steal about $1 million in jewelry from Sam’s Club and JC Penney stores.
Between September 2020 and February 2021, the suspects “entered … by breaking and entering through exterior doors” of stores stretching from Placer County north of Sacramento to Los Angeles and San Bernardino counties in Southern California.
Officers found jewelry and jewelry cases in two defendants’ homes that linked them to the thefts, the attorney general’s office said.
The arrests and pleas follow a coordinated investigation involving multiple law enforcement agencies in California.
Salaam was sentenced to 16 months while Tilley agreed to a 16-month prison sentence but has not yet been sentenced, the attorney general’s office said.
The third suspect—identified in court documents as Shamelia Demonica Clay of Campbell, California—has been charged with organized retail theft and child endangerment for allegedly having an assault weapon in the presence of a child.
The fourth suspect—identified in court documents as Rico Cornelius Raushing of Fresno, California—was also charged with organized retail theft.
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