Montgomery County District Attorney Kevin R. Steele and Philadelphia Police Commissioner Kevin Bethel announced today the arrests of eight members of a multi-state organized retail theft group responsible for committing hundreds of thefts—totaling nearly $3 million—from Home Depot, Lowe’s and other retailers beginning in August 2025.
The eight defendants arrested are Wilber Antonio Morales-Sanchez, 25, Fernando Junior Gonzalez Rodriguez, 21, Dario Neftali Gonzalez-Feliz,35, Manuel Martin Terrero, 43, Josue Sterlyn Pineda, 29, Jaime Ramirez-Lebron, 44, Gabriel Almonte, 36, all of Philadelphia, and Noe Amilcar Umana-Espinal, 35, of Montgomery Village, Maryland. An arrest warrant is out for Alexis Ezequiel Encarnancion, 27 of Bronx, N.Y.
According to the DA, an investigation began after Montgomery County Detectives examined a series of account takeover incidents involving Home Depot and Lowe’s locations in the area. Detectives determined the criminal activity extended “far beyond Montgomery County and involved incidents throughout Pennsylvania and spanning at least 18 other states.”…