2 women sentenced in Georgia for multi-state theft scheme

CANTON, Ga. - Two New York women have been sentenced to 20 years, including a decade behind bars, for operating an organized retail theft scheme that targeted Walmart and Target stores in 21 states, including dozens of locations in Georgia.

Ebony Fallon Washington, 43, also known as Stephanie Harris, and Melissa Holland, 46, also known as Keisha Wilson, each pleaded guilty to three counts of violating Georgia’s Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act. Washington entered a negotiated plea on March 6, while Holland entered a non-negotiated guilty plea on May 6. Both were sentenced by Superior Court Judge Jennifer L. Davis.

Ebony Fallon Washington and Melissa Holland (Cherokee County Sheriff's Office)

The backstory:

Between June 2022 and August 2024, Washington and Holland orchestrated 187 thefts totaling nearly $141,000. Prosecutors said their scheme involved purchasing Apple AirPods with cash, extracting the real devices from their packaging using tools, replacing them with lower-value items, resealing the boxes, and returning them for full cash refunds. They often used the refunded money to purchase more AirPods, which they then sold for profit.

The thefts took place at retail stores across the U.S., including 32 locations in Georgia such as Acworth, Buford, Columbus, Kennesaw, Macon, and Woodstock.

The investigation began in May 2024, when Walmart Global Investigations approached the Cherokee County District Attorney’s Gang and Organized Crime Unit to discuss a suspected theft ring also being tracked by Target. On September 13, 2024, Washington and Holland were arrested in Coweta County with the help of the Woodstock Police Department and the Coweta County Sheriff’s Office.

A search of their rental car uncovered tools used in the thefts, hotel receipts for locations near targeted stores, and five cell phones that held additional evidence.

Under Georgia’s RICO law, prosecutors can charge individuals who operate as part of a criminal enterprise regardless of whether crimes occur locally, statewide, or nationally.

This case is unrelated to a separate retail theft prosecution announced earlier in the week by the Georgia Attorney General’s Office, officials clarified.

What they're saying:

"These defendants operated in a coordinated effort with a specific plan in place," said Assistant District Attorney Rachel Murphy of the Cherokee County Gang and Organized Crime Unit. "Although only two stores in Cherokee County were directly affected, Georgia’s RICO Act enabled us to prosecute this broader criminal enterprise."

District Attorney Susan K. Treadaway said the use of Georgia’s RICO statute in this case sends a message.

"Organized retail crime is a growing problem not only in our community, but nationwide," Treadaway said. "By holding these offenders accountable and imposing prison sentences, we are sending the message that those who engage in organized retail crime will be aggressively prosecuted in Cherokee County."

What's next:

Washington and Holland were ordered to pay $134,951.86 in restitution, the amount owed after deducting the value of recovered merchandise. Both will serve 10 years in prison followed by 10 years on probation.

As part of their sentence, they are prohibited from contacting one another, banned from entering Walmart or Target stores, barred from Cherokee County, and required to perform 320 hours of community service.