Former Store Employee Sentenced for Stealing and Reselling More Than $900,000 Worth of Goods

FRESNO, CA—United States Attorney Benjamin B. Wagner announced that today United States District Judge Lawrence J. O’Neill sentenced Richard Earl Norton Jr., 48, of Fresno, to 30 months in federal prison for interstate transportation of stolen property relating to his sales over the Internet of merchandise that he stole from a Macy’s department store. Norton pled guilty on September 24, 2010.

Norton admitted in his guilty plea that from October 2005, to September 2009, he stole merchandise including designer purses, wallets, satchels, and other items valued at over $900,000 from the Macy’s store in Fresno where he worked. Norton sold many of these stolen goods to buyers in other states through the Internet.

In addition t o the prison sentence he was ordered to pay $953,936 in restitution. The Court also ordered that Norton forfeit items traced to his criminal conduct: (i) over a half million dollars in cash, consisting of approximately $346,610 seized from Norton’s PayPal account, approximately $5,362 seized from Norton’s bank accounts, and approximately $157,989 seized from his residence; (ii) Norton’s house in Fresno; and (iii) vehicles consisting of two 2005 BMW Z4 cars, a 2002 Ford truck, a 2005 Chrysler Crossfire, and a 2007 Pontiac Solstice.

This case is the product of a joint investigation by the FBI Cyber Crimes Task Force and the Fresno Police Department. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Office of Inspector General also assisted in the investigation of this matter. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kirk Sherriff and Deanna Martinez.