Trial begins May 23 for duo arrested in national Ulta Beauty crime spree
A nationwide crime duo captured in Ames is set to begin trial May 23 at the Story County courthouse.
Ames police arrested a pair of Texas men in February on suspicion of theft of more than $1,000 in merchandise from the local Ulta Beauty, apprehending Yunierquis Estopinan Hernandez, 36, and Angel Rafael Nieto Salazar, 32.
The duo has been linked to Ulta Beauty thefts throughout Iowa, including one on Merle Hay Road in Des Moines, Mills Civic Parkway in West Des Moines and in Council Bluffs, court documents said. Ulta Beauty's loss prevention officials have also connected Estopinan Hernandez and Nieto Salazar to thefts in Colorado Springs, Colorado, Overland Park, Kansas, Lee's Summit, Missouri and Gretna, Nebraska.
The Story County court has agreed with the prosecution to try Estopinan Hernandez and Nieto Salazar together. Their trail is scheduled to begin at 9 a.m. May 23 However, Nieto Salazar has petitioned the court to separate the two defendants. The court will hear that argument on Monday.
Meanwhile, Estopinan Hernandez is moving forward with his defence in preparation of the May 23 trial. The defence in his case has served at least eight witnesses to give testimony in the case.
Court filings indicate the beauty and cosmetics company had been tracking the two men on a theft spree across the country for months.
The two men have been charged with ongoing criminal conduct-unlawful activity, a Class B felony in Iowa. The charge comes with a maximum sentence of 25 years under Iowa Code. The duo is also charged with first-degree theft as well as removal of a theft protection device on merchandise of more than $300.
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How'd police capture the crime duo?
The working staff at the Ames Ulta Beauty location reported two Hispanic males had stolen fragrances by concealing them on their persons and fleeing in a silver Toyota, criminal complaints said. The staff identified Estopinan Hernandez of Fort Worth, Texas and Nieto Salazar of Farmers Branch, Texas, as the alleged perfume pirates.
A search of the Toyota the two men were driving uncovered 250 bottles of cologne and perfume.
Court documents show a discrepancy regarding how much has stolen from the Ames Ulta Beauty location. Estopinan Hernandez's case states $1,202 worth of fragrances were taken. Nieto Salazar's court documents say the Ames Ulta Beauty store manager watched the store's video showing the two men taking the merchandise, which was valued at $1,375.
Law enforcement officials didn't respond to questions regarding the discrepancy.
The men have also been identified on Ulta Beauty video surveillance as suspects in numerous Ulta Beauty thefts across the nation in what is identified as a "criminal enterprise," court documents said. The duo allegedly hit a number of stores in a span of five days, stealing products from Ulta stores in Colorado Springs, Colorado; Overland Park, Kansas and Lee's Summit, Missouri as well as Council Bluffs and West Des Moines.
The US Chamber of Commerce and Homeland Security, according to the National Retail Foundation, said organized retail crime is reaching a "boiling point" in the country.
Organized retail crime is different than shoplifting, according to a report released April 13 by the National Retail Federation and K2Integrity, a financial crimes, risk and regulatory advisory firm.
The report says shoplifting is a personal crime of opportunity and spontaneity. However, ORC is a coordinated and planned crime involving professional thieves, a division of organized labor like marketing and fulfillment, and careful, deliberate planning for the end purpose of selling stolen products for profit.
The US Chamber of Commerce said eight out of 10 retailers are reporting increased incidences of violence and aggressing in ORC events. The organization claims more than $100 billion was lost to ORC theft in 2022.
Teresa Kay Albertson covers politics, crime, courts and local government in Ames and central Iowa for the Ames Tribune and Des Moines Register. Reach her on Twitter @TeresaAlberts11 and at talbertson@registermedia.com, 515-419-6098.
This article originally appeared on Ames Tribune: A Texas duo connected to Ulta crime ring will be tried locally May 23
