FARMINGTON HILLS (WWJ) - An Oakland County man will serve just over four months in prison after he pled guilty to stealing thousands of dollars worth of KitchenAid stand mixers from Target stores around Metro Detroit.
Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel announced on Wednesday, Oct. 18, that Brian Roussey, 31, of Farmington Hills, was sentenced to 128 days' incarceration and two years' probation for three counts of Organized Retail Fraud.
In addition, Roussey was ordered to pay $20,108 in restitution to Target.
Back in September, Roussey pled guilty to three counts of operating a theft and resale scheme that saw over $20,000 worth of products stolen from Target.
According to Nessel, the Farmington Hills native began snatching KitchenAid mixers in late 2020 and continued his scheme through late 2022. Police said Roussey would walk into multiple Targets throughout Metro Detroit and stroll out with KitchenAid bran stand mixers without paying. The mixers sell for $500 a piece, totaling retail loss in excess of $20,000.
Roussey would then turn around and sell the mixers on social media platforms, like Facebook Marketplace.
Nessel said the case was investigated by her office's newly established Organized Retail Crime (ORC) Unit operating with Michigan State Police as the FORCE Team, and the Farmington Hills Police Department.
"Our FORCE Team works in concert with retailers, in this instance Target, to stop these theft-and-resale schemes that cost Michigan businesses and consumers millions of dollars every year," said Nessel. "That partnership is critical to our work against organized retail fraud, and here it put an end to a two-year crime spree."
Nessel said the 'FORCE' Team and the Organized Retail Crime Unit were established in January to bust criminal organizations that steal products from retailers to repackage and sell for a profit.
Two assistant attorneys general long with special agents within the Department of Attorney General and Michigan State Police detectives work within the unit to investigate and prosecute these crimes., Nessel's office said.
"This is a first-in-the-nation unit, unique in the 50 states as being the first such unit with embedded, dedicated staff from the Department of Attorney General," Nessel's office added.
As stated in the Attorney General's release: "The FORCE Team is dedicated to working collaboratively with retailers and local law enforcement agencies to combat organized retail crime. Recent corporate partners on investigations have included Sam's Club/Walmart, Meijer, Target, Home Depot, TJ Maxx, Rite-Aid, Lululemon, Ulta, and Lowe's. The team's first major investigation produced charges against seven individuals earlier this year. Local law enforcement agencies or retailers with evidence of organized retail fraud are encouraged to email the 'FORCE' Team."
