Robert and Jaclyn Dell of St. Petersburg were convicted following a two-week jury trial for orchestrating a sophisticated retail theft operation that generated over $2 million in illegal proceeds from 2015 to 2023. Robert, a former pastor at The Rock Church in St. Petersburg, and his wife operated what they called a "transformation center" that purported to provide counseling and assistance to individuals recovering from drug addiction, but investigators determined the center served as a front for coordinating thefts targeting The Home Depot stores across seven Florida counties.
The Office of Statewide Prosecution alleged that the Dells coordinated with co-conspirators Jessica Wild and Daniel Mace, who stole power tools from Home Depot locations across Citrus, Hillsborough, Manatee, Pasco, Pinellas, Polk, and Sarasota counties. The stolen merchandise was delivered nightly to the Dells' residence and then sold online through their operation. "These two criminals were defrauding vulnerable Floridians while pretending to serve our communities," said Florida Department of Law Enforcement Commissioner Mark Glass.
Robert Dell was found guilty on five charges: RICO, Conspiracy to Commit RICO, Dealing in Stolen Property, and two counts of Money Laundering, facing up to 150 years in the Florida Department of Corrections. Jaclyn Dell was convicted of Conspiracy to Commit RICO and faces up to 30 years in prison. Sentencing is scheduled for March 13, 2025, in Pinellas County.
The case was the result of a joint investigation launched in August 2023 by the Office of Statewide Prosecution, the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, and The Home Depot Asset Protection Team. The convictions come as Florida has strengthened its approach to organized retail crime, with state officials emphasizing the economic impact on consumers and businesses statewide.
"These verdicts show exactly what happens when Florida refuses to be a soft-on-crime state," said Florida Commissioner of Agriculture Wilton Simpson. "Our Agricultural Law Enforcement agents were proud to lead the investigation in this case alongside the Attorney General's Office, FDLE, and Home Depot to dismantle a long-running retail theft ring that victimized businesses across multiple counties. Organized retail crime drives up costs for everyday Floridians and undermines public safety."
Scott Shalley, President and CEO of the Florida Retail Federation, praised the outcome as "yet another powerful example of Attorney General James Uthmeier's relentless efforts to dismantle organized retail crime for the safety of our stores, our customers and our team members." The Home Depot's Vice President of Asset Protection Scott Glenn noted that while the company has "implemented comprehensive strategies to protect against organized retail crime," it "remains at a high across the retail industry."
The prosecution was handled by Chief Assistant Statewide Prosecutor Paul Dontenville and Assistant Statewide Prosecutors Eric Ross and Gianna Fina. The case represents a significant victory in Florida's broader crackdown on organized retail theft, which officials say has become increasingly sophisticated and costly for retailers and consumers alike.