Four individuals from Memphis have been sentenced to federal prison for their involvement in an organized retail theft conspiracy that resulted in the shoplifting and nationwide distribution of millions of dollars worth of goods. Reagan Fondren, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Tennessee, announced the sentences.
Between April 2018 and May 2020, Latasha Brooks, 42, Coyoti Carter, 47, and Tarnisha Woods, 49, were found to have shoplifted substantial quantities of health and beauty products, including memory supplements, hair regrowth treatments, weight loss aids, and allergy medicines. Keith Guy, 38, paid Brooks for the stolen items, who in turn compensated Carter and Woods for their contributions. Guy then sold these stolen products online and utilized the U.S. Postal Service to ship hundreds of parcels across the United States. The investigation estimated the retail value of the stolen goods to be over $4 million.
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The defendants were indicted in December 2023 by a federal grand jury on charges of conspiracy to commit interstate shipment of stolen property. Each pleaded guilty and received their sentences from United States District Court Chief Judge Sheryl H. Lipman. Tarnisha Woods was sentenced on August 12, 2024, to 15 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release. Latasha Brooks received a 34-month sentence on August 13, 2024, with three years of supervised release. Coyoti Carter was sentenced to 12 months and one day of imprisonment on August 22, 2024, with three years of supervised release. Lastly, Keith Guy was sentenced to 34 months in prison on September 13, 2024, also followed by three years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
The case was investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service Memphis Field Office. Acting U.S. Attorney Reagan Fondren expressed gratitude to Assistant United States Attorney Scott Smith, who prosecuted the case, and to the law enforcement partners involved in the investigation.
For more information, please contact the Media Relations Team at USATNW.Media@usdoj.gov. Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office on Facebook or X (formerly Twitter) at @WDTNNews for office news and updates.
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