TAHLEQUAH —
Four people accused of stealing thousands of dollars worth of merchandise from Walmart and returning it for cash were behind bars Friday after the discovery of a “burn-and-return” burglary ring.
Cherokee County sheriff’s Investigator Nate King said the four have apparently been swiping merchandise from Walmart, and perhaps other retail establishments, and then returning the items for cash. He said the activity has occurred for at least a year.
Those arrested Friday morning were Clinton Shawn Dees, 37; Valery White, 33; James Allen Nesmith, 40; and Jody Lee Wohlers, 41. Dees, Nesmith and Wohlers have previously been convicted of felonies from multiple states, King said, and are all on felony probation in Cherokee County.
King said authorities began to unravel the burglary ring when he started looking into the theft of a coin machine from Welch’s Laundry in Peggs.
Surveillance footage identified Dees as a suspect, and subsequent interviews aimed at locating Dees revealed the possible burglary ring.
Based on that information, King was able to secure a federal search warrant for White’s home. King said White and Dees claim to be married, and Nesmith and Wohlers are also a couple.
“They’ve been stealing from Walmart in a ‘burn-and-return’ operation, which is stealing from a store and taking it back to return it for cash,” said King.
Sheriff’s personnel, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Oklahoma Highway Patrol, and Tahlequah Police Department’s Special Weapons and Tactics Team served the warrant on Stick Ross Mountain Road early Friday. King said state and federal officials were involved because of Nesmith’s and Dees’ previous criminal history, and because the two were considered likely to be in possession of firearms.
King said officers recovered approximately $3,000 worth of tools, sports equipment, electronics and other items at White’s home, most of which was likely taken from Walmart.
At least one item may have been stolen from Lowe’s.
“There’s no telling how much they’ve already returned and received cash for,” said King.
“That was just the merchandise in the home Friday. They’ve been stealing and returning stuff for months and months.”
King said officers also seized one firearm and a “small amount” of drugs in the home.
Investigators will now work with the businesses that were victimized by the alleged thefts and try to determine, through video surveillance, receipts, and other means, how long the ring has been active and if there are other suspects.
“There’s no telling how deep this burglary ring goes, and we could very well expect to have more arrests as we continue the investigation,” said King.
Charges against the four include larceny from a retailer, knowingly concealing stolen property, theft of a coin-operated machine, possession of a controlled dangerous substance, possession of a firearm in the commission of a felony, and conspiracy.
Dees and Nesmith may also be charged in federal court, King said.
Court records show Nesmith was charged last December with first-degree burglary and domestic abuse-assault and battery in Cherokee County District Court, but charges were dismissed at the request of the victim.
Nesmith has also been previously charged with robbery, grand larceny, drug possession, firearm possession, domestic abuse, and preventing a witness from attending court in Cherokee and Muskogee counties, and in other states, according to the state Department of Corrections.
Dees has three previous traffic violations in Cherokee County, but no misdemeanor or felony charges, records show.
Records from the state DOC show Dees has previous charges from other states related to receiving or possessing stolen property, forgery, aggravated assault and battery on a police officer, and escaping confinement.
Wohlers has been charged in Cherokee County with manufacture of a controlled dangerous substance, possession of marijuana, driving under the influence of alcohol, placing bodily fluids on a government employee, destroying evidence, and unlawful purchase or acquisition of pseudoephedrine.
Investigators said White has no previous criminal history.
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