Nationwide — Tracy A. James, a woman from Medina County, Ohio, carried out more than 1,700 fraudulent merchandise returns at Home Depot stores across several states. Authorities say the scheme brought in about $266,699 in store credit, which she later used to buy items she resold online.
Prosecutors said James used counterfeit driver’s licenses and several aliases while making the returns. The fake identities helped her obtain store credit for merchandise she never legitimately purchased.
According to WLBT, investigators said the activity happened over several years and involved many Home Depot locations. Stores in Brunswick, Medina, Miamisburg, Milford, and Wadsworth were among the affected sites. Authorities also linked the fraud to several Home Depot stores in Kentucky.
The store credit added up quickly. James allegedly used the credit to buy merchandise from the stores and later sold the items online, turning the fraudulent returns into cash.
The Medina County Prosecutor’s Office eventually charged her with one count of telecommunications fraud, a second-degree felony. A grand jury issued the indictment after investigators reviewed records tied to the returns and store credit transactions.
James pleaded guilty to the charge on February 27. The court later handed down her sentence.
She received five years of community control supervision. The judge also ordered her to serve 180 days in jail, complete 100 hours of community service, and pay $266,699 in restitution to Home Depot.