Suffolk Pawn Shop Owner, Associates, Indicted For Corruption: DA

BRENTWOOD, NY — Four people were indicted before a grand jury on Thursday, after they engaged in an organized retail theft crime ring operating out of a Brentwood pawn shop, Suffolk County District Attorney Ray Tierney announced.

Carlos Ulloa, 50, of Patchogue, Sandra Palomino, also known as "Sandra Hinds," 45, of Brentwood, Henry Delgado, 41, of Patchogue, and Sandra Cruz, 23, of Patchogue, used Ulloa’s store, “EZ Cash Pawn and Jewelry,” as a front, prosecutors said.

The scheme, which originated in early May 2020, demonstrated that the individuals had financially benefitted from stealing other people's property for an extended period of time, Tierney said.

Ulloa also rented a warehouse in East Patchogue, where numerous allegedly stolen items were recovered, he said.

The conspirators used “boosters," or thieves who stole items from major retailers such as Lowe’s, Home Depot, Petco and PetSmart, prosecutors said.

Between October 1, 2021, and August 6, 2022, after Palomino bought stolen merchandise from boosters at the pawn shop, Ulloa and his associates then transported them to the warehouse in East Patchogue, according to court documents and statements made at the arraignments.

The stolen items were then photographed, listed on internet websites to be resold, and packaged for delivery, Tierney said. The repeated act of reselling stolen items on different platforms generated a large sum of criminal proceeds, Tierney said.

During the 10-month period, the investigation revealed that more than $1 million was transferred just from eBay accounts to bank accounts owned by Ulloa, Tierney said. Delgado would then issue checks to Ulloa and his two corporations when requested by Ulloa to do so, Tierney said.

The individuals were arrested this August.

Ulloa faces the following charges, Tierney said:

• One count of enterprise corruption
• One count of fourth-degree conspiracy.
• One count of second-degree criminal possession of stolen property and
• One count of second-degree money laundering

On Aug. 6, officers issued search warrants for the warehouse and Ulloa's residence, and obtained stolen merchandise, a stolen handgun, and illegal high capacity magazines, Tierney said. He was charged with three counts of third-degree criminal possession of a weapon, under a separate indictment, prosecutors said.

In addition, the following Ulloa's corporations have been indicted for the following charges, Tierney said.

• Ulloa Commerical LLC
  • One count of enterprise corruption
  • One count of second-degree criminal possession of stolen property
  • One count of fourth-degree conspiracy
• Ulloa Global LLC
  • One count of enterprise corruption;
  • One count of second-degree money laundering
  • One count of second-degree criminal possession of stolen property
  • One count fourth-degree conspiracy

Ulloa was arraigned on Oct. 28. Honorable John B. Collins who ordered his bail set at $1 million cash, $2 million bond or $10 million partially secured bond, the DA said.

Palomino (Hinds) the manager of EZ Pawn and its employees, was indicted on the following charges, Tierney said:

• One count of enterprise corruption
• One count of second-degree criminal possession of stolen property
• One count of fourth-degree conspiracy

Palomino was arraigned on Nov. 16, before the Honorable John B. Collins, who ordered her to be monitored via supervised release with conditions including GPS monitoring. She was also ordered to be placed on a 5 p.m. curfew, as well as remain in Suffolk County, Tierney said.

Delgado, 41, of Patchogue, allegedly laundered the proceeds of the sale of the stolen merchandise; he was indicted on the following charges, Tierney said.

• One count of enterprise corruption
• One count of second-degree money laundering
• One count of fourth-degree conspiracy

In addition, Delgado's National Global Sales, Inc, was indicted for one count of enterprise corruption and one count of fourth-degree conspiracy, Tierney said.

Delgado and his corporation were arraigned on Oct. 28, 2022 before the Honorable
John B. Collins; his bail was set in the amount of $1.5 million cash, $1.5 million bond or $10 million partially secured bond, Tierney said.

Cruz, an associate of Ulloa who managed the warehouse and its employees and allegedly utilized the warehouse to sell stolen goods for Ulloa through online websites, was indicted on the following charges, Tierney said:

• One count of enterprise corruption
• One count of second-degree criminal possession of stolen property
• One count of fourth-degree conspiracy

Cruz was arraigned on Nov. 15 before the Honorable John B. Collins, who ordered her to be monitored via supervised release with conditions including GPS monitoring, Tierney said. She was ordered to remain in Suffolk County and has a 5 p.m. curfew, officials added.

The four will all be back in court on Dec. 20.

In addition, other individuals were previously arraigned as part of the investigation, Tierney said.

John Parry Jr. 52, of Bay Shore, an alleged “booster” for the EZ Pawn operation, was arraigned on Nov. 3 and was ordered by the Honorable Richard Ambro to be monitored via supervised release with narcotic restrictions, Tierney said.

He was charged with one count of third-degree grand larceny and one count of fifth-degree conspiracy, prosecutors said.

Parry is due back in court on Dec. 7.

Denisse Robles, 33, of Patchogue, wife of Carlos Ulloa, was arraigned Nov. 15 and was charged with one count of fourth-degree conspiracy and three counts of fifth-degree criminal possession of stolen property, Tierney said.

The Honorable John B. Collins ordered Robles released on her own recognizance. Her next court date is January 4, 2023.

Samy Linares Ramirez, 36, along with his wife Blanca Patricia Menjivar Acevedo, 28, both of Amityville, alleged they provided stolen high-end merchandise to be fenced by ULLOA, et al, Tierney said.

They were each charged with the following, Tierney said:

• One count of third-degree criminal possession of stolen property
• One count of fourth-degree criminal possession of stolen property
• One count of fifth-degree conspiracy .

Ramirez and Acevedo were both arraigned on Oct. 28, both before the Honorable John B. Collins. They were released on their own recognizance, and are due back in court on Dec. 20.