SAN MATEO COUNTY, Calif. (KRON) — California Attorney General Rob Bonta was in the Bay Area on Friday to give an update on a major organized retail theft case.

He was joined by the San Mateo County Sherriff’s Office and the San Mateo District Attorney’s Office as well.

Bonta, along with the two San Mateo officials, participated in a news conference Friday afternoon to announce the sentencing of five defendants linked to an organized retail theft case last year.

The lead defendant, Danny Louis Drago, is scheduled for a six-year sentence in state prison for Feb. 25, 2022.

The other four defendants were identified as Edgar Geovany Robles Morales, Isis Vasquez Villanueva, Jose Villatoro, and Michelle Renee Fowler.

Their sentences are as follows, according to a press release from the California Department of Justice:

  • Fowler: 3 years in state prison for pleading guilty for one count of felony organized retail theft, receiving stolen property, and aggravated white collar enhancement
    • The execution of her sentence will be suspended pending successful two-year completion of formal supervised probation, including 364 days in San Mateo County jail.
  • Morales and Villanueva: Pleaded guilty for felony conspiracy to commit organized retail theft.
    • The two will be on probation with 364 days of electronic monitoring or work program.
  • Villatora: Probation and 30 days in jail for pleading guilty in receiving stolen property.

The defendants were involved in $8 million of stolen merchandise from retailers such as Target, CVS, and Walgreens.

An additional $85,000 in cash was recovered by law enforcement, according to the California Department of Justice.

In total, the investigation that began in April 2020 revealed $1,874,633.65 was seized from multiple bank accounts linked to the defendants.

Bonta said in many cases, these groups involved in organized retail crime are using funds from reselling stolen items. Those funds fuel additional crime, including human trafficking.

“The joint investigation and prosecution of these individuals show that the premeditated retail theft actions of criminal groups in multiple cities across Northern California is intolerable,” said San Mateo County District Attorney Stephen Wagstaffe. “(The actions) will not be accepted by District Attorneys, the Attorney General, law enforcement officials, and our community members.”

The whole region has seen an alarming number of retail theft, particularly in the last few weeks.

One of the major cases happened in Walnut Creek, when 80 people raided a Nordstrom.

Most recently, a San Jose jewelry store was the target of smash-and-grab burglars.