8 Face Racketeering Charges in Georgia Retail Theft Operation

Eight people now confront racketeering charges after prosecutors say they ran an organized theft ring hitting stores throughout Georgia. Attorney General Chris Carr's Organized Retail Crime Unit secured indictments against the accused in DeKalb County.

The group allegedly stole from Home Depot, Target, Walmart, and Lowe's locations. Grand jurors in DeKalb County issued two separate indictments in December.

Three out-of-state suspects face the first indictment. Johntae L. Hutchinson, 38, and Apree Zatashai Williams, 33, both from Indiana, along with Thalamus Rasu Elzy Jr., 29, from Wisconsin, allegedly hit Home Depot and Target stores in Georgia and Tennessee. Each defendant was issued with two counts under the state's Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act.

Hutchinson and Williams face four counts of theft by shoplifting. Elzy got two counts of the same offense. Prosecutors claim these three stole power tools, yard equipment, batteries, Legos, electronics, and clothing.

Five Georgia residents were named in the second indictment for thefts at Home Depot, Walmart, Lowe's, and Target stores. They allegedly took Legos, printer ink cartridges, personal care products, household cleaning products, tools, and lighting fixtures.

The accused also swapped product codes. They'd stick low-price tags on expensive items so retailers lost money on every transaction.

Hailey Vanessa Renteria, 18, lives in Lilburn. Jibril Chillion Wyckoff, 26, comes from Stone Mountain. Yannick Giovanni Gordon, 25, lives in Snellville. Andrew Flores-Ciru, 22, is from Lilburn, and Jalen Mical Carter, 29, resides in Loganville. All five face two counts under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act. Renteria and Wyckoff also were charged with two counts of theft by shoplifting, while Gordon, Flores-Ciru, and Carter each face one count.

"The rule of law means something in Georgia, and we refuse to sit back and watch our retailers struggle due to rampant crime and theft," said Carr in a statement, according to WRDW.

Retail theft is a huge threat to the state's continued economic growth and causes businesses to lose an estimated $3 billion each year. This includes lost revenue in stolen goods, tax revenue and 17,000 lost jobs.