Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond A. Tierney today announced the continued results of the Retail Protection Partnership, a program he created in October 2023, in response to rising rates of shoplifting nationwide and particularly in New York State, following bail and discovery “reforms.” The initiative has expanded to include additional retailers and partners in law enforcement.
“What we are doing differently in Suffolk County is charging alleged recidivist theft defendants with felonies wherever possible in order to deter them from committing repeated thefts,” said District Attorney Tierney. “As consumers, we pay for the thefts of others in the form of higher prices, products being locked behind bars or glass, and with lost jobs when retailers move out of communities due to constant theft. We are making it clear that in Suffolk County, you cannot steal without consequence, despite all of the breaks that the New York legislature has provided to criminals that are disguised as ‘reforms.’”
“While retail theft may not always receive the same attention as other crimes, its impact is significant affecting everyone from businesses to our communities,” said Suffolk County Police Commissioner Kevin Catalina. “The decrease in shoplifting incidents demonstrates that our efforts are working and we will continue to support innovative strategies while strengthening partnerships to ensure we are combatting retail theft.”
“I commend District Attorney Tierney on his innovative and highly successful Retail Protection Partnership,” said United States Marshal of the Eastern District of New York Vincent F. DeMarco. “Retail theft is a calculated assault on our communities, and the United States Marshals Service will always assist our State and Local partners to apprehend those who attempt to dismantle local businesses. The message from District Attorney Tierney is clear: if you steal from retail shops in Suffolk County, you will be hunted down and be brought to justice.”
District Attorney Tierney’s Retail Protection Partnership has provided prosecutors, retailers, and law enforcement the ability to collaborate and disseminate information to others within the partnership, in order to identify and arrest serial, high-impact shoplifters. Many of the largest retailers in Suffolk County are members of the partnership, including Home Depot, Walmart, TJX Company, Nordstrom Rack, Stop & Shop, Kohls, CVS Health, Walgreens, Harbor Freight, Wegmans, Rite Aid, H&M, BJs, Macy’s, Lowe’s, Gap Company, Target, Best Buy, Burlington, Ralph Lauren, Victoria’s Secret, and Dick’s Sporting Goods. The law enforcement partnership members include Assistant District Attorneys, District Attorney Investigators, members from every Suffolk County Police Department precinct, members of the Suffolk County Police Department’s District Attorney Squad, and the Deputy United States Marshals.
The innovations utilized by the District Attorney’s Office for the Retail Protection Partnership include focusing on repeat offenders who have stolen thousands of dollars of merchandise from retailers in Suffolk County. Many of the top offenders have been emboldened by the New York State bail and discovery “reforms” which mandate a “catch and release” of recidivist offenders on misdemeanor petit larceny charges. The partnership’s investigators and prosecutors utilize “aggregation” which allows for the value of the products in the numerous misdemeanor thefts to be added together to result in a felony charge. Another strategy utilized is the service of a Trespass Notice, giving notice to the shoplifters that they were no longer legally permitted to enter the store. Subsequently, if the shoplifter returns to that same store, the offender can then be charged with the misdemeanor crime of Trespass, or Burglary in the Third Degree, a Class D Felony.
Results of the Retail Protection Partnership over the past three years have proven successful. Following its implementation, the number of misdemeanor petit larcenies went down from 6,041 in 2024, to 5,774 in 2025, and 1,950 for the year to date in 2026 – trending below last year’s pace and on track for approximately 4,800 at the end of year.
A highlight of the recent success of the Retail Protection Partnership is the apprehension of 18 defendants on felony charges over the past six months, all of whom are alleged to be high-impact, repeat offenders. The 18 defendants are alleged to have collectively committed a total of 80 larcenies from five retailers, for total loss of over $110,000. Each of these defendants have been charged with at least one felony charge. Additionally, three of the defendants have been charged with Robbery in the Second Degree, a Class C Felony, for allegedly using physical force to steal the merchandise.
Additionally, the U.S. Marshals Service joined the Retail Protection Partnership to assist in the apprehension of the partnership’s most wanted recidivist offenders. Working in conjunction with the U.S. Marshals, over the past two weeks, the District Attorney Squad arrested nine of the 18 defendants.
These 18 defendants include:
- Shawn Harvey, 27, of Hempstead, faces a top count of Robbery in the Second Degree, a Class C violent felony;
- Shaquan Humphrey, 32, of Hempstead, faces a top count of Robbery in the Second Degree, a Class C violent felony;
- Malik Jones, 37, of Hempstead, faces a top count of Robbery in the Second Degree, a Class C violent felony;
- Matthew Verderosa, 29, of Selden, faces a top count of Burglary in the Third Degree, a Class D felony;
- Ronald Foster, 52, of West Babylon, faces a top count of Burglary in the Third Degree, a Class D felony;
- Jessica Rose Margiotta, 38, of Queens, faces a top count of Burglary in the Third Degree, a Class D felony;
- Takeya Green, 38, of Hempstead, faces a top count of Burglary in the Third Degree, a Class D felony;
- Julia Calderone, 38, of Staten Island, faces a top count of Grand Larceny in the Third Degree, a Class D felony;
- Izaya Carrasco, 18, of Selden, faces a top count of Grand Larceny in the Third Degree, a Class D felony;
- Jorge Garcia-Reyes, 37, of Queens, faces a top count of Grand Larceny in the Third Degree, a Class D felony;
- Willie White, 60, of Hempstead, faces a top count of Grand Larceny in the Fourth Degree, a Class E felony;
- Michaelangelo Scurto, 46, of Queens, faces a top count of Grand Larceny in the Fourth Degree, a Class E felony;
- Jusmyne King, 21, of Hempstead, faces a top count of Grand Larceny in the Fourth Degree, Class E felony;
- Jakwasia McCorvey, 27, of Bellport, faces a top count of Grand Larceny in the Fourth Degree, Class E felony;
- Otis Key, 43, of Hempstead, faces a top count of Grand Larceny in the Fourth Degree, Class E felony;
- Corey Young, 31, of Manorville, faces a top count of Grand Larceny in the Fourth Degree, Class E felony;
- Jasmine Brown, 28, of Bellport, faces a top count of Grand Larceny in the Fourth Degree, a Class E felony; and
- Timothy Catone, 35, of East Patchogue, faces a top count of Grand Larceny in the Fourth Degree, a Class E felony.
These cases are being prosecuted by Assistant District Attorneys Giovanna DiFilippo, Raymond Leggett, Evan Ryan, and Dominique Vaccaro, acting under the supervision of Bureau Chief Tisha Burrows and Deputy Bureau Chiefs Craig McElwee, Tanya Rickoff, and James O’Rourke, all of the Intake & Discovery Compliance Bureau. The investigations were spearheaded by Detective Ashley Corriss under the supervision of Deputy Inspector James Bebry and Sergeant Thomas Groneman, all of the Suffolk County Police Department’s District Attorney Squad.
Criminal complaints and indictments are merely accusatory instruments. Defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty. No one is above the law.
