AG files charges against Belleville man over alleged plan to resell $243K in stolen goods
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Attorney General Kwame Raoul on Friday announced criminal charges against a Belleville man over the alleged possession, purchase and sale of purported stolen retail merchandise including tools, electronics and lawn equipment in the estimated amount of $243,000.
The charges are the latest resulting from a multi-jurisdictional investigation facilitated by Raoul’s Organized Retail Crime Task Force.
Raoul’s office charged Christopher D. Odem, 50, of Belleville, with Class 2 felony organized retail crime, punishable by up to seven years in prison; two counts of Class 1 felony theft, each punishable by up to 15 years in prison; three counts of Class 2 felony theft, each punishable by up to seven years in prison; Class 3 felony theft, punishable by up to five years in prison; and Class 1 felony money laundering, punishable by up to 15 years in prison.
“The effects of organized retail crime are not limited to any one region of Illinois. Buying and reselling stolen items creates a market that encourages retail crime and makes communities less safe,” Raoul said.
“Today’s charges demonstrate the importance of the collaborative work that my office’s Organized Retail Crime Task Force is doing to hold individuals accountable. I would like to thank the Illinois State Police and our law enforcement and retail partners for their help with this investigation.”
According to Raoul, Odem knowingly purchased new, in-the-box stolen merchandise. The items, including power tools and electronics, were purportedly stolen from local retailers, and the defendant allegedly purchased them for resale. The charges come out of an investigation that resulted in charges filed earlier this month against another St. Clair County man who is also accused of possessing, purchasing and intending to sell purported stolen retail merchandise.
Remarks from ISP director
The Illinois State Police and the Illinois Department of Revenue’s Bureau of Criminal Investigations assisted with the investigation.
“Just as ISP investigates gun and drug trafficking, we investigate those trafficking in stolen goods, and we will continue to work with Attorney General Raoul’s office to bring them to justice,” said ISP Director Brendan F. Kelly.
“The economic impact of organized retail crime goes well beyond the retail theft itself,” said Illinois Department of Revenue Director David Harris. “It also affects customers by driving up the cost of merchandise, and it results in billions of dollars in lost tax revenue at both the state and federal level.”
Assistant Attorneys General Heidi Epperson and Angel VonBokel are prosecuting the case for Raoul’s office.
