Two San Francisco women accused of using COVID-19 threat as weapon during store robbery

SAN FRANCISCO — Two San Francisco women have been charged in federal court with robbing a Walgreens and coughing on store staff while yelling, “We have COVID,” prosecutors announced Friday afternoon.

Carmelita Barela, 36, and Rosetta Shabazz, 32, were charged with robbery affecting interstate commerce, which carries a maximum 20-year prison sentence and a $250,000 fine. The charges, unsealed Friday, allege that the two robbed a Walgreens near Civic Center on April 6.

Prosecutors allege the two entered a store without masks, and that when a manager offered to help them, Shabazz began coughing without covering her mouth. The manager told them that if they were sick, they should leave the store.

“Instead, Shabazz walked over to Barela and both defendants began to cough audibly while taking merchandise off the shelves and placing it into their bags. The manager told the defendants to leave the store, to which they responded by saying, ‘We have COVID,'” federal prosecutors said in a news release.

The news release doesn’t say if either Shabazz or Barela actually tested positive for COVID-19.

Both defendants were arrested April 23, and Shabazz has been released to home confinement. Barela’s next court date is set for April 27.

“It is an unfortunate reality that there will be those in our community who try to take advantage of the current pandemic to prey on people’s fear of contracting COVID-19,” U.S. Attorney DAvid L. Anderson said in a written statement. “While many in our community can remain safe by sheltering in place, store managers and clerks are putting themselves out into the world for our benefit. They don’t deserve to be threatened and robbed. Everyone suffers from a crime like this.”

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