Carr Indicts Two in Walton County for Alleged Theft Targeting T-Mobile

WALTON COUNTY, GA – Attorney General Chris Carr today announced that his Organized Retail Crime Unit has obtained a new indictment in Walton County charging Charline Lashai Gatlin and Ivan Robert Stewart with Racketeering and Theft by Receiving Stolen Property. From April to September 2025, the defendants are alleged to have conspired together to obtain over $130,000 worth of T-Mobile property through a pattern of theft.

Stewart, who was previously employed as a driver for the United Parcel Service (UPS), is alleged to have stolen packages of T-Mobile phones and accessories from a metro Atlanta UPS hub. He is then alleged to have transferred several of those stolen packages to Gatlin.

Gatlin is alleged to have delivered the items to other unindicted co-conspirators. She is also alleged to have sold phones from the stolen packages at an ecoATM on at least two separate occasions.

“Organized retail theft drives up costs for businesses and consumers, and we’re going after those responsible,” said Attorney General Chris Carr. “Thanks to our strong partnerships with UPS, T-Mobile, and other retailers and law enforcement throughout the state, we’re sending a strong message that this type of illegal activity won’t be tolerated in Georgia. We’re fighting each day to keep prices low, criminals behind bars, and our state No. 1 for business.”

“We are working closely with authorities to support their efforts and have terminated employment with this former employee. We have no tolerance for illegal activity,” said UPS.

This case was investigated by UPS and T-Mobile, with assistance from Carr’s Organized Retail Crime Unit, Georgia State Patrol, the Walton County Sheriff's Office, and the Atlanta Police Department.

“This investigation highlights the benefits of fostering strong working relationships between law enforcement agencies and our prosecutorial partners,” said Colonel William W. Hitchens, III, Commissioner of the Georgia Department of Public Safety. “It demonstrates that we can fight crime more effectively when we work together.”

Walton County Indictment 

On Oct. 31, 2025, the Attorney General’s Organized Retail Crime Unit presented evidence to a Walton County Grand Jury, resulting in the indictment* of Ivan Robert Stewart and Charline Lashai Gatlin.

Specifically, the defendants are facing the following charges. 

Ivan Robert Stewart, 32, of Atlanta:  

• 2 counts of Violation of the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act 

Charline Lashai Gatlin, 28, of Snellville:  

• 2 counts of Violation of the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act
• 2 counts of Theft by Receiving Stolen Property 

A copy of the indictment can be found here . No further information about the investigation or the indictment may be released at this time by the Attorney General’s Office.

About the Attorney General’s Organized Retail Crime Unit 

Last year, with the support of Governor Brian Kemp and members of the General Assembly, Attorney General Chris Carr created Georgia’s first statewide Organized Retail Crime Unit. 

The Organized Retail Crime Unit works with retailers and law enforcement agencies to investigate and prosecute the criminal networks that are engaged in recurring thefts and acts of violence targeting businesses throughout the state.

Specifically, Georgia businesses are estimated to lose over $3 billion to retail theft annually, including $1.6 billion in stolen goods and $326 million in lost tax revenue, along with 17,000 lost jobs.

The Organized Retail Crime Unit is housed in the Attorney General’s Prosecution Division, which also includes Carr’s Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit, his Gang Prosecution Unit, and his White Collar and Cyber Crime Unit.

*Members of the public should keep in mind that indictments contain only allegations against the individual against whom the indictment is sought. A defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty, and it will be the government’s burden at trial to prove the defendant guilty beyond a reasonable doubt of the allegations contained in the indictment.