Carr Indicts Eight in DeKalb County for Thefts Targeting The Home Depot, Target, Walmart and Lowe’s

DEKALB COUNTY, GA – Attorney General Chris Carr today announced that his Organized Retail Crime Unit has obtained indictments against eight individuals in DeKalb County. The defendants are alleged to have engaged in numerous incidents of thefts targeting The Home Depot, Inc. (The Home Depot), Target Corporation (Target), Walmart, Inc. (Walmart), and Lowe’s Home Improvement, LLC (Lowe’s). They are charged in two separate indictments, and they are all facing multiple counts of theft and racketeering.  

“The rule of law means something in Georgia, and we refuse to sit back and watch our retailers struggle due to rampant crime and theft,” said Carr. “This is a major public safety issue and a real threat to our continued economic growth, with businesses losing $3 billion to retail theft each year. That’s why we created Georgia’s first statewide Organized Retail Crime Unit, and we’ll make sure those responsible are vigorously prosecuted and held accountable.”

Indictment 1  

As asserted in the indictment, Johntae L. Hutchinson, Apree Zatashai Williams, and Thalamus Rasu Elzy, Jr. routinely stole from The Home Depot and Target store locations in Georgia and Tennessee. Primarily, the defendants are alleged to have stolen power tools, yard equipment, batteries, Legos, electronics, and clothing.

The Attorney General’s Organized Retail Crime Unit presented evidence to a DeKalb County Grand Jury on Dec. 17, 2025, which returned an indictment* charging Hutchinson, Williams, and Elzy, Jr. 

All charges against the defendants are listed below.  

Johntae L. Hutchinson, 38, of Indiana:  

• 2 counts of Violation of the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act 
• 4 counts of Theft by Shoplifting 

Apree Zatashai Williams, 33, of Indiana:  

• 2 counts of Violation of the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act 
• 4 counts of Theft by Shoplifting 

Thalamus Rasu Elzy, Jr., 29, of Wisconsin: 

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

Indictment 2 

As asserted in the indictment, Hailey Vanessa Renteria, Jibril Chillion Wyckoff, Yannick Giovanni Gordon, Andrew Flores-Ciru, and Jalen Mical Carter routinely stole from The Home Depot, Walmart, Lowe’s, and Target store locations in Georgia. The defendants are alleged to have stolen Legos, printer ink cartridges, personal care products, household cleaning products, tools, and lighting fixtures. The defendants are also alleged to have placed the Universal Product Code from merchandise with low retail prices on merchandise with higher retail prices, thus intentionally depriving the retailer of the full value of the property.

The Attorney General’s Organized Retail Crime Unit presented evidence to a DeKalb County Grand Jury on Dec. 17, 2025, which returned an indictment* charging Renteria, Wyckoff, Gordon, Flores-Ciru, and Carter. 

All charges against the defendants are listed below. 

Hailey Vanessa Renteria, 18, of Lilburn, Georgia:  

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

Jibril Chillion Wyckoff, 26, of Stone Mountain, Georgia:  

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

Yannick Giovanni Gordon, 25, of Snellville, Georgia: 

• 2 counts of Violation of the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act 
• 1 count of Theft by Shoplifting 

Andrew Flores-Ciru, 22, of Lilburn, Georgia:  

• 2 counts of Violation of the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act 
• 1 count of Theft by Shoplifting 

Jalen Mical Carter, 29, of Loganville, Georgia:  

• 2 counts of Violation of the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act 
• 1 count of Theft by Shoplifting 

This investigation was conducted by the Attorney General’s Organized Retail Crime Unit, with the assistance of retail partners. No further information about the investigation or the indictments may be released at this time by the Attorney General’s Office. 

About the Attorney General’s Organized Retail Crime Unit 

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. 

To address the issue, Attorney General Chris Carr created Georiga’s first statewide Organized Retail Crime Unit in 2024, with the support of Governor Brian Kemp and members of the General Assembly.

This 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. 

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.