Ongoing Scheme Ends with the Arrest of Two Men on Multiple Charges

Ongoing Scheme Ends with the Arrest of Two Men on Multiple Charges

June 26, 2014

On Wednesday, June 25, 2014, Walmart Asset Protection notified the Pinellas Park Police Department of a high dollar employee theft scheme in which an employee, 24 year-old Kevin Rious, was selling high dollar electronics items at a substantial and unlawful discount to various persons, and one co-defendant in particular; 26 year-old James Lall.

Rious began the scheme on May 7, 2014 and it ended on June 25, 2014. Rious engaged in this scheme on 24 separate occasions.

Rious and Lall were apprehended in the commission of this scheme on 6/25/14.

The amount of loss to Walmart because of this ongoing scheme was $23,263.89. Lall’s participation totaled $13,066.

The scheme worked like this: in last night’s incident, Lall sent a text message to Rious with a shopping list of items he wanted Rious to set aside. Lall would arrive and pick up the items at the Electronics Department register where Rious was assigned. Rious would complete a sale of items that were not being purchased at a substantial reduction in the cost of the actual items being given to Lall.

Lall then walked out with electronics valued in excess of $3,000. Lall paid $500. Lall would later pay Rious for his assistance in the crime.

When Lall was taken into custody he was found in possession of a firearm, stun gun and narcotics.

The charges for the suspects were as follows:

James Lall:

Possession of Oxycodone
Possession of Heroin
Possession of Firearm by Convicted Felon
Possession of a Concealed Firearm
Scheme to Defraud

Kevin Rious:
Grand Theft (Over 20,000/Under 100,000)

Both men remain in the Pinellas County Jail.