A plan to steal baby formula and alcohol landed a Turlock man and three Modesto residents in jail after they were apprehended Tuesday afternoon by the Sonora Police Department.
In total, the foursome is accused of stealing around $1,500 in baby formula, alcohol and clothes, according to the Sonora Police Department.
Arrested were: Joseph Krueger, 33, of Turlock; Maura Rose Aherne, 26, of Modesto; Brandon Jacob Dominguez, 22, of Modesto; and Christopher Ryan Rocha, 23, of Modesto.
The incident began around 3:30 p.m. Tuesday when the Sonora Police Department received a report of a theft in progress at the Save Mart at 1045 Mono Way. The store employee told the police that two white male adults and one female adult had just stolen baby formula and alcohol and gotten into a waiting white pickup truck, driven by another man.
Two of the suspects were also observed entering and exiting Ross Dress for Less.
The truck and the suspects left the area, but the description of the vehicle and the suspects had been broadcast to officers in the area. The officers spotted the vehicle and made a traffic stop.
Officers determined that two of the occupants were on searchable probation and conducted a probation search of the vehicle. Officers located several backpacks, which contained baby formula and alcohol. Officers also located several clothing items, which still had Ross Dress for Less tags on them.
During interviews at the scene, Aherne admitted to stealing clothes from Ross Dress for Less, according to the Sonora Police Department.
Officers later returned the items to Save Mart and Ross Dress for Less. The total value of the stolen items was approximately $1,500.
The suspects were arrested and transported to the Tuolumne County Jail for booking.
Aherne was booked for grand theft and conspiracy to commit a crime. During the booking process, Aherne was also found to be in possession of a controlled substance and was booked for transporting a controlled substance into a jail facility. Aherne is being held on $25,000 bail.
Dominguez was booked for grand theft and conspiracy to commit a crime. He is being held on $20,000 bail.
Rocha was booked for grand theft, conspiracy to commit a crime, possession of drug paraphernalia and violation of probation terms. He is being held on $20,000 bail.
Krueger was booked for grand theft, conspiracy to commit a crime and violation of probation terms. During the booking process Krueger was also found to be in possession of a controlled substance and was booked for transporting a controlled substance into a jail facility. Krueger was also found to have provided officers with a false name prior to being booked and was charged with impersonating another person. He is being held on $25,000 bail.
