ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WROC) — A Gates woman was sentenced to more than five years in federal prison for her role in a retail theft ring that prosecutors say moved more than $1 million in stolen merchandise through a Rochester pawn shop.
42-year-old Shabon Banks was sentenced just over five years in prison after pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Prosecutors also ordered her to pay more than $92,900 in restitution to several major retailers, including Best Buy, Home Depot, Kohl’s, Lowe’s, Macy’s, Target and Walmart.
Prosecutors say that from late 2021 through October 2024, Banks worked with a group of serial shoplifters to steal new, unopened items from store shelves, sometimes daily. They sold the merchandise to New York Gold Diamond Pawn Shop for a fraction of its value…