LI Pawn Shop Owner, Staff Operated Organized Retail Theft Ring: DA

BRENTWOOD, NY — A Brentwood pawnshop owner and his two employees recently pleaded guilty in court to operating an organized retail theft ring from their store, garnering almost $2 million from stolen items, Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond A. Tierney said.

Carlos Ulloa, 51, of Patchogue, the owner and operator of EZ Cash Pawn & Jewelry, pleaded guilty on Monday to one count of enterprise corruption, one count of second degree money laundering, and third-degree criminal possession of a weapon, prosecutors said.

Ulloa’s corporations, Ulloa Global LLC and Ulloa Commercial LLC, also each pleaded guilty to enterprise corruption, officials said.

Between May 14, 2020, through Aug. 6, 2022, after employee Sandra Hinds 46, of Brentwood, and other employees at the pawnshop received stolen merchandise from thieves, Ulloa and his associates then transferred the items to his warehouse in Patchogue, according to the investigation and the defendants’ allocutions during their guilty pleas, Tierney said.

The stolen items were then stored, inventoried, photographed, and listed for sale online, officials said. The selling of stolen items online generated a large sum of criminal proceeds for Ulloa, prosecutors said.

On Aug. 6, 2022, law enforcement executed search warrants at the pawnshop, the warehouse, and Ulloa’s residence, resulting in the seizure of brand-new stolen merchandise belonging to retailers throughout Suffolk County, Tierney said.

Police also seized an unlicensed stolen handgun at his residence, the DA said.

“In 2022, upon taking office, we were determined not to let organized retail theft take hold here as it has elsewhere. In Suffolk County, you cannot steal other people’s property without facing the consequences," said Tierney. "Rather than just arresting the low level boosters of stolen property, we followed them, conducted court ordered wiretap monitoring, found the pawnshop where they were fencing the goods and went so far as to investigate where they were selling the stolen property online and seize the accounts along with the criminal proceeds.”

During his plea hearing on Monday, Ulloa surrendered his dealers in second-hand articles license and precious metal/gems license to the Suffolk County Department of Labor, Licensing & Consumer Affairs, Tierney said.

As a result, Ulloa will not be able to enter into any businesses involving pawn shops or purchasing second-hand articles for reselling, the DA said..

He was also required to close his business known as EZ Cash Pawn & Jewelry and has already terminated his rental of the warehouse, prosecutors said.

Ulloa and his corporations forfeited a total of $968,081 in criminal proceeds, as well in excess of
$1 million in stolen goods that were seized by the Suffolk County Police Department from EZ
Cash Pawn & Jewelry, Ulloa’s home, and a warehouse he leased, Tierney said.

Seized stolen merchandise was also located by law enforcement from retailers such as Burberry, Home Depot, Petco, and PetSmart, prosecutors said.

He faces an indeterminate sentence of three to 9 years in prison when sentenced, Tierney said. Ulloa Global LLC, Ulloa Commercial LLC will be sentenced to a three-year conditional discharge, he added.

Ulloa is scheduled to be sentenced on Nov. 15. Patch reached out to David Besso, Ulloa and his corporations' attorney, for comment.

This case was heard before Supreme Court Justice, the Honorable John B. Collins.

"Thanks to our comprehensive investigation, we were able to bring Enterprise Corruption charges, which are more serious bail-eligible offenses, rather than simple larceny charges," said Tierney. "Now, with these guilty pleas,we have ensured upstate prison time for the ringleader and pawn shop owner Carlos Ulloa, jail time for all his associates, forfeiture of the stolen goods and criminal proceeds, loss of licenses, closure of these crooked businesses and the prohibition on Ulloa going back into the pawn business when he gets out of prison.”

In addition, Ulloa's employees were charged in the theft ring, Tierney said.

Sandra Cruz, 24, of Patchogue, who managed employees at a warehouse where the stolen merchandise was stored, inventoried, photographed, and posted online for sale, pleaded guilty on Aug. 14, to attempted enterprise corruption, prosecutors said.

Patch reached out to Daniel Sullivan, Cruz's attorney, for comment.

Hinds, who managed the employees of EZ Cash Pawn & Jewelry where the stolen merchandise was received from thieves, pleaded guilty on Aug. 23, to attempted enterprise corruption, prosecutors said.

Patched reached out to George Duncan, Hinds' attorney, for comment.

Both Cruz and Hinds will be sentenced to six months of incarceration followed by five years of probation, the DA said. They are both due back in court for sentencing on Dec. 8.

Earlier this year, John Parry, a “booster” of stolen goods for the Ulloa Fencing Operation, pleaded guilty on Feb. 15, in front of County Court Judge, the Honorable Philip Goglas, to charges of third-degree grand larceny and entered an 18-month Judicial Diversion Program, prosecutors said.

He is currently in the program. If Parry is not successful, he faces an indeterminate sentence of two to 6 years in prison, officials said.

At the time of sentencing, Parry is expected to be ordered to pay $14,540.81 in restitution to Home
Depot.

“This is not the end," said Tierney. "Anyone involved in organized retail theft in Suffolk County is on notice that we will find you, fully investigate you and prosecute you to the fullest extent of the law. In Suffolk County, you cannot steal other people’s property without being held responsible for your actions.”