Fairfax Deputy Charged in Target Shoplifting Case Pleads Guilty

A retired Fairfax County deputy accused of shoplifted from a Leesburg Target in May pleaded guilty to one charge Tuesday.

Robert Harold Palmer Jr., 50, of Leesburg, was charged Tuesday with two counts of petit larceny for allegedly shoplifting from a Leesburg Target in May. He pleaded no contest to the second petit larceny charge.

A Loudoun General District judge delivered Palmer a 30-day prison sentence and a $1,000 fine, all of which could be suspended for one year if Palmer pays court costs, breaks no further laws and acts on good behavior. Palmer must also pay $100.40 restitution and is required to stay away from all Target stores in Loudoun County.

The case gained national attention when Dallas Northington, a 29-year-old Target security officer, was abruptly fired in June after reporting shoplifting by a man believed to be a Fairfax County sheriff’s deputy.

Northington filed a routine report with Leesburg police May 27 after the man was allegedly captured twice on video while shoplifting, The Washington Post reports. Days after the report was filed, the suspect retired from the Fairfax County sheriff’s office and Northington was fired.

Target officials allegedly told Northington he violated procedure by failing to fill out proper paperwork before contacting the police. Northington claims store supervisors recognized the suspect.

A Target spokeswoman said Target said the company conducted an extensive investigation and did not believe there was any merit to Northington’s claims that he was wrongfully terminated.

Image: Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office