Police bust Detroit pawn shop with $300,000 worth of stolen goods
DETROIT (WJBK) - Two people were arraigned Wednesday after police discovered $300,000 in stolen goods from a Detroit pawn shop.
Commerce Township resident Gasswan Usama Gargis, 38, was charged with one count of conducting a criminal enterprise, seven counts of organized retail crime, and six counts of receiving and concealing stolen property over $1,000, and two misdemeanor charges.
Orchard Lake resident Trisha-Lynette Viado Razon, 20, was charged with five counts of organized retail crime, two counts of receiving and concealing stolen property over $1,000, and two misdemeanor charges.
The Canton Police Department executed a search warrant on June 12 at iPawn Shop on 8 Mile and Lahser in Detroit, as well as Gargis' Commerce Township home.
There they recovered $300,000 worth of new merchandise, including generators, high-end electronics, power tools and kitchen appliances. Police say thieves stole hundreds if not thousands of items from different retailers from the suburbs and brought them to Detroit to be sold.
On the day of the raid, FOX 2 spoke with business owners nearby, who said they had suspicions something like this was going on.
"These charges today are the result of months of tedious and exhaustive work by the Canton Police Department and the Wayne County Prosecutor's Office," Wayne County Prosecutor Kym L. Worthy said in a release. "This case should serve as notice that these wide-scale sales of stolen goods to pawn shop operations will be vigorously investigated and prosecuted in Wayne County."
Judge Kenneth J. King of Detroit's 36th District Court set both defendants bond at $5,000. Both are due back in court for a probable cause conference next Tuesday, Aug. 8.