Walmart parking lot sting nets baby formula theft ring suspect

The Dickson Police Department has obtained warrants for two suspects who are believed to be part of a black market for stolen baby formula in Middle Tennessee.

Detective Katrena Pulley said a 17-year-old female from Clarksville was arrested and warrants have been issued for two Nashville residents after the Dickson Police Department conducted a “controlled buy” of 10 cans of Similac baby formula stolen from the Kroger store in Dickson. Police recovered 19 cans of the baby formula powder and other baby items in the trunk of a car during the sting operation Feb. 16 in the parking lot of the Walmart in Cheatham County.

Two sought for stealing baby formula

Warrants have been issued for 20-year-old Shydericka Turner and 21-year-old Jabastian Gordon, both of Nashville. Turner is charged with felony theft, shoplifting and contributing to the delinquency of a minor while Gordon is charged with felony theft and contributing to the delinquency of a minor. The 17-year-old female, whose name was not released because she is a juvenile, is charged with felony theft.

Pulley said Turner and the juvenile entered the Kroger store at 143 Henslee Drive in Dickson Feb. 9 and loaded a shopping cart with 72 cans of Similac priced at $18 apiece. When the employee observing the self-checkout area was distracted, the two women walked out with the formula without paying.

Kroger employees observed the women leave in a white Chevrolet Impala driven by a black male, later identified as Gordon, Pulley said.

During the investigation, Pulley said it was discovered that the suspects were advertising Similac for sale online and posted pictures of themselves on their Facebook pages holding large amounts of cash allegedly from the sale of stolen formula.

"Controlled buy" of baby formula

With the assistance of the 23rd Judicial District Drug Task Force and the Cheatham County Sheriff’s Office, the controlled buy was scheduled at the Cheatham County Walmart. With undercover officers stationed in the parking lot, Pulley said the 17-year-old and a male driver pulled into the parking lot in an Impala matching the description of the car used in the theft at Kroger. Pulley said a check of the car’s license plate revealed it was reported stolen in Davidson County.

Pulley said after the juvenile sold 10 cans of Similac for $7 apiece, officers took her and Ja’Montez Johnson, 19, of Nashville into custody. The detective said the 17-year-old’s two children, ages 18 months and one month, were in the car at the time of the sale.

Officers recovered 19 cans of Similac stolen from the Kroger store and other baby merchandise stolen the same day from the Dickson Walmart in the car’s trunk.

Pulley said the investigation has revealed that the 17-year-old, Turner and Gordon have stolen Similac and items such as baby wipes from Kroger and Walmart stores in Dickson, Nashville and Clarksville and are offering them for sale online in what she termed a black market baby formula theft ring.

The 17-year-old is charged with felony theft and is scheduled to appear in Dickson County Juvenile Court. She was released to her parents’ custody.

Pulley said Johnson is charged with possession of a stolen vehicle but is not charged in connection with the baby formula theft. He was released on bond with an appearance scheduled in Cheatham County General Sessions Court. According to online records, Johnson is out on $50,000 bond on charges of aggravated robbery and aggravated assault with a deadly weapon with a trial scheduled in Davidson County in September.

Turner and Gordon remain at large with warrants issued in Dickson and other charges possible from Montgomery and Davidson counties.

Anyone with information on their whereabouts is urged to call Pulley at 615-441-9573, Central Communications at 615-446-8041 extension 4, or the anonymous tipline at 615-441-9555.

"Liquid gold"

According to reports around the country, thefts of baby formula have become so prevalent that some law enforcement agencies have referred to it as “liquid gold” and legislators have considered classifying the thefts under federal racketeering laws when they cross state lines.

In 2010, the FBI said it broke up a ring operating in California and Oregon that it believed stole $25 million in baby formula over four years. Florida police said a statewide ring busted in 2014 stole millions of dollars of formula while Operation Hot Milk in 2009 saw 21 people arrested for stealing more than $2 million in formula in the Sunshine State. In 2015, Utah police arrested two people and confiscated 422 cans of stolen formula.

Two people were arrested in Waco, Texas, in 2017 for the thefts of $30,000 in formula from various chain stores. In June, police in Arnold, Mo., reported two women stole more than $1,000 in formula from one store over the course of one week.

Police say the powered baby formula is not only popular in black market sales but also is mixed with various drugs to increase their volume.

