On Wednesday January 4, 2023, the California Highway Patrol (CHP), with assistance from the San Joaquin County Sheriff Department and the Stockton Police Department, made several arrests related to retail theft crime.
The arrests came as a result of the CHP working with ULTA loss prevention to target organized retail theft. The CHP was alerted to theft of over $2100 of merchandise from an Ulta store in Stockton, CA.
Investigators with CHP identified the suspects in the theft as Stockton residents twenty-two-year-old JOYANNE LEWIS and thirty-five-year-old HUGO MATA-ROMERO. A traffic stop and a later search of a residence revealed additional stolen merchandise including a large amount of clothing, electronics, and electric scooters.
In addition to the stolen merchandise, investigators located significant amounts of controlled substances including over 130 grams of suspect crystal methamphetamine, over 80 grams of suspected cocaine, over 5 grams of suspected fentanyl, a digital scale and over $60,000 cash.
A third person, forty-four-year-old San Joaquin resident Gustavo CUEVAS VALLEJO, was charged with possession of stolen property and drug possession with the intent for sales.
JOYANNE LEWIS and HUGO MATA-ROMERO were booked into the county jail on charges of Organized Retail Theft, possession of stolen property, conspiracy, grand theft and possession of methamphetamine.
Anyone with information regarding organized retail theft may report it to the Valley Division CHP or online at https://www.chp.ca.gov/not…/organized-retail-theft-program.
