2 plead guilty in Home Depot, Lowe's theft operation; 1 Arden pawn shop owner charged
ASHEVILLE - Two suspects pleaded guilty in Buncombe County Superior Court to participating in an organized theft ring out of Denny’s Jewelry and Pawn in Arden, from which the Buncombe County Sheriff’s Office recovered an estimated cost in items “significantly exceeding” $150,000.
By Oct. 18, 2022, the sheriff’s office had charged 14 people with a Class G felony of organized retail theft, after a weekslong investigation, according to the department. Those charged included two owners of the shop, Robert Dennis Lewis Sr. and Robert Dennis Lewis Jr., and two employees, Tammy Gates and Kenneth Gates.
In connection to the ring, Gabriel Lockridge pleaded guilty Jan. 22 to organized retail theft and attempted felony breaking or entering, the sheriff’s office announced Jan. 31. As part of his plea agreement, Lockridge will serve a combined sentence of 30 to 54 months followed by 60 months of supervised probation, according to the clerk’s office.
Initial reporting: Sheriff: Over $150,000 theft operation includes items from Home Depot, Lowe's, Target
Dustin Zaleznack also pleaded guilty Jan. 22 to organized retail theft and will serve 10-21 months followed by 36 months of supervised probation, according to the clerk’s office.
"In a time when fairness, equality, transparency, and ethical policing are at the front of many community members' minds, going into an investigation like this, the goal is to do what is right,” Criminal Investigations Division Det. David Reed said in the news release.
One of the others charged, Alyssia Nichole Lindsey, pleaded guilty Jan. 18, 2023, to organized retail theft, felony larceny and misdemeanor larceny. She was sentenced to serve 17 to 30 in prison.
One owner dismissed of charges, son's still pending
Both the father and son owners of the shop were originally charged with felony organized retail theft by the sheriff's office, but the charge against Lewis Sr., 72, has since been dismissed.
"While he was an owner of the business on paper, he had retired from running the pawn shop years ago and only came in once or twice a month to give his son a break," Stephen Cash, the father's former attorney, told the Citizen Times. "So, he had nothing to do with the business's day to day operations — legal, illegal or otherwise."
Lewis Sr.'s charge was dismissed on Oct. 11, 2023, but Lewis Jr.'s charge is still pending, according to the clerk's office.
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The sheriff’s office recovered more than 4,000 stolen items from the pawn shop, most of which came from Home Depot, Lowe’s, Target and Sportsman’s Warehouse locations in Buncombe County, the Citizen Times previously reported.
Loss prevention specialists from the retail chains identified the items, which were largely unopened and in the original packaging, according to a previous news release from the sheriff’s office.
Tammy Gates has an upcoming court date of Feb. 23 in district court. The clerk’s office did not have an upcoming court date listed for the father and son owners of the shop or the other employee charged.
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Ryley Ober is the Public Safety Reporter for Asheville Citizen Times, part of the USA Today Network. Email her at rober@gannett.com and follow her on Twitter @ryleyober
This article originally appeared on Asheville Citizen Times: Arden pawn shop owner charged in organized theft ring; 2 sentenced
