Florida man sentenced in Rogaine theft case

A Florida man repaid $22,000 and has been sentenced to two years in prison for stealing Rogaine and other merchandise from stores in Ohio.

Andres W. Arias, 36, of Boca Raton, pleaded guilty Tuesday in Warren County Common Pleas Court to engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity, a second degree felony. He paid $22,000 in restitution and agreed to a two-year prison sentence.

According to a press release, between December 2015 and February 2016, Arias worked within a criminal network from Florida and New Jersey to steal from Walgreens stores in Cuyahoga County, Hamilton County, Summit County and Warren County, and from CVS stores in Summit County.

As part of the scheme, Arias flew to targeted cities, rented vehicles and drove to targeted stores. Once inside the stores, he concealed store items including products such as Rogaine, Prevagen, and Alli in false pockets in his pants and left without paying for them. Then he shipped the stolen merchandise to associates in New Jersey, who deposited money into his bank account.

The case was prosecuted by attorneys from the Ohio Attorney General’s Office, including its Economic Crimes Unit. It was investigated by the Mason Police Department and the Attorney General’s Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation’s Special Investigations Unit and Criminal Intelligence Unit.

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