Attorney General James Uthmeier announced that Robert and Jaclyn Dell of St. Petersburg have been convicted for operating an organized retail theft scheme. The case was prosecuted by the Office of Statewide Prosecution, which works to protect Floridians from fraud and collaborates with law enforcement agencies across the state, as described on its official website at https://www.myfloridalegal.com/.
Robert Dell, a former pastor at The Rock Church in St. Petersburg, and his wife Jaclyn ran a ‘transformation center’ that claimed to help people recovering from drug addiction. According to investigators, this center was used as a front for laundering proceeds from a large-scale criminal operation.
“These fraudsters hid their true motives behind faith and charity to launder proceeds from a large-scale criminal enterprise,” said Attorney General James Uthmeier. “I am grateful to Ag Law Enforcement, FDLE, Chief Assistant Statewide Prosecutor Paul Dontenville, and Assistant Statewide Prosecutors Eric Ross and Gianna Fina for ensuring that justice was served in this case.”
Florida Commissioner of Agriculture Wilton Simpson commented on the outcome: “These verdicts show exactly what happens when Florida refuses to be a soft-on-crime state. 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. We will continue to use every tool at our disposal to protect law-abiding families, support our law enforcement, and deliver real results for the people we serve.”
“These two criminals were defrauding vulnerable Floridians while pretending to serve our communities,” said Florida Department of Law Enforcement Commissioner Mark Glass. “I applaud our analysts and partners for uncovering the full scope of their exploitation and helping secure this verdict.”
Scott Shalley, President and CEO of the Florida Retail Federation, added: “Today’s guilty verdicts are 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. In collaboration with Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson, FDLE Commissioner Mark Glass, local law enforcement and our retail stores, General Uthmeier has made clear that Florida is a law and order state, where organized retail crime is not tolerated and criminals will be held accountable. With the strongest laws and enforcement in the nation, Florida is a safer place to work and shop.”
“At The Home Depot, the safety of our associates is our top priority. We have implemented comprehensive strategies to protect against organized retail crime (ORC) over the past few years with great success, but it remains at a high across the retail industry,” said Scott Glenn, Vice President of Asset Protection at The Home Depot. “We’re proud to play a role in the nationwide effort to combat ORC and grateful for the partnership and dedication of Attorney General Uthmeier and local law enforcement in investigating these cases and holding offenders accountable.”
The Dells were arrested in August 2023 after an investigation involving several agencies including The Home Depot Asset Protection Team. Investigators found that under their counseling program cover story, they coordinated thefts targeting The Home Depot stores across seven counties: Citrus, Hillsborough, Manatee, Pasco, Pinellas, Polk, and Sarasota.
Co-conspirators Jessica Wild and Daniel Mace stole power tools from various locations; these items were then delivered nightly to the Dells’ home before being sold online. Authorities estimated that more than $2 million was generated through illegal sales between 2015-2023.
After a two-week jury trial concluded in Pinellas County courtrooms:
– Robert Dell was found guilty as charged on counts including RICO violations (Racketeer Influenced Corrupt Organization), conspiracy to commit RICO offenses, dealing in stolen property (two counts), and money laundering.
– Jaclyn Dell was found guilty as charged on conspiracy charges related to RICO.
Robert Dell faces up to 150 years in prison; Jaclyn faces up to 30 years. Sentencing is scheduled for March 13, 2025.
The Office of Statewide Prosecution operates statewide in Florida providing resources such as consumer alerts on scams—especially aimed at seniors or military veterans—and educational programs about fraud prevention as outlined on its official website at https://www.myfloridalegal.com/. It also supports complaint submissions regarding consumer issues while partnering with other law enforcement initiatives like Back the Blue Campaign.