NEW YORK (1010 WINS) – Two men have been charged for allegedly stealing over $1 million in products from a skincare and beauty manufacturer as part of a large-scale retail theft and fencing operation based in Queens, prosecutors announced on Wednesday.
Leudy Marte, 28, and Wilton Pena de Dios, 28, both from New Jersey, face charges of grand larceny, criminal possession of stolen property, and conspiracy for their roles in the operation based in Kew Gardens Hills.
According to Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz, the pair allegedly helped divert more than $1 million in products from Sol de Janeiro, a skincare and beauty manufacturer. These products were intended for retailers such as Ulta Beauty and Sephora but were instead delivered to the alleged ringleaders of the operation.
Several members of this theft crew were charged last year. Those arrests marked the first time in New York that individuals were charged under a new law targeting the sale of stolen goods. The measure, signed into law by Gov. Kathy Hochul, aims to curb the sale of stolen goods through online platforms and brick-and-mortar locations.
According to court documents, Marte and Pena de Dios allegedly stole merchandise from Sol de Janeiro's warehouse in Edison, N.J. Marte was an employee of the warehouse, while Pena de Dios was a former employee.
On Sept. 26, 2024, and again in November 2024, Marte allegedly removed items from the warehouse without authorization, loading them onto a company truck that lacked GPS tracking. After business hours, Pena de Dios allegedly rented a truck and drove to meet Marte at locations in New Jersey. There, they transferred the stolen merchandise from the warehouse truck to the rental truck. Pena de Dios then transported the stolen goods to a storage facility in Oakland, N.J.
Prosecutors allege that during these incidents, a Tesla and an SUV belonging to members of the fencing operation arrived at the storage facility. Items were transferred from the rental truck to their vehicles and the storage facility.
A search warrant executed at the storage facility uncovered hundreds of boxes containing thousands of Sol de Janeiro products. Additional searches at three Queens locations last year revealed over 31,000 stolen cosmetic products from the same manufacturer, valued at more than $800,000.
Investigators allege the fencing operation was coordinated from Queens by members of the organization, who purchased large quantities of stolen goods, including beauty products, perfume, designer clothing, and accessories, from theft crews operating along the East Coast. The organization reportedly paid the theft crews 10%–15% of retail value for the goods and sold them through online advertisements and a brick-and-mortar boutique in the Dominican Republic.
The operation is alleged to have received $50,000 worth of stolen goods weekly, with investigators estimating $2 million in sales over two years.
Searches of the Queens locations yielded over 50,000 retail beauty products, perfume, designer clothing, and accessories with a combined retail value exceeding $1 million. Authorities also discovered a money counter, a label maker, and two "ghost gun" kits containing un-serialized and unfinished firearm parts.
Marte and Pena de Dios were arraigned last week and are scheduled to appear in court on Jan. 21. If convicted, they face sentences of 8 1/3 to 25 years in prison.
