ORANGE COUNTY, Calif. – An Inglewood man and a father-daughter duo have been charged
for stealing nearly $400,000 in goods and selling counterfeit items at a swap
meet, following an investigation by the California Highway Patrol's (CHP)
Organized Retail Crime Taskforce (ORCTF).
On July 30, 2024, CHP investigators
assigned to Border Division’s ORCTF served a search warrant in connection with
an ongoing retail theft investigation. Investigators
identified a residence where stolen merchandise was being stored and sold at an
open-air market in Torrance, Calif. Jose Cuadra, 41, who was identified as the
leader of the fence operation, was arrested at his Los Angeles residence.
During the service of search warrant,
investigators recovered nearly $400,000 in stolen retail merchandise, designer
shoes, purses, and perfume, which were being sold as legitimate brand name
items.
Investigators identified Cuadra as a
“fence” after following retail thieves, known as “boosters”, to his residence
where they sold retail items, they had stolen earlier that day.
On August 14, CHP investigators obtained
arrest warrants for two boosters involved in this theft ring. Johny Arciniegas-Cortes,
46, and his daughter, Paula Arciniegas, 28, were arrested on the warrants
without incident in the city of Anaheim.
The father and daughter team has been observed numerous times committing
retail thefts throughout Southern California.
It is believed Cortes and Arciniegas are responsible for stealing
approximately $10,000 in merchandise from several retailers.
The Orange County District Attorney’s
Office has filed four felony charges against Cuadra, which include the
following:
Two felony counts of receiving stolen
property.
One felony count of organized retail
theft in concert with two or more persons.
One felony count of the manufacture and
sale of counterfeit mark.
Cortes and Arciniegas have been charged
with the following:
Two felony counts of grand theft.
One felony count of conspiring to commit
a crime.
Four misdemeanor counts of shoplifting
with a value less than $950.
The CHP has dedicated Organized Retail
Theft teams in Orange County, Los Angeles, and the San Francisco Bay Area who
work with retailers to combat sophisticated crews that continue to victimize
merchants throughout the state.
The mission of
the CHP is to provide the highest level of Safety, Service, and Security.
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