A man has been sentenced to five years in prison after prosecutors say he stole over $300 worth of merchandise from Walmart in Crystal Lake through a return scheme.
Samuel Spann, 40, of Rockford, was charged in January with two counts of retail theft, Class 3 and 4 felonies.
He pleaded guilty last month to one count of retail theft, a Class 3 felony, in exchange for his other charge and other retail theft cases being dismissed.
McHenry County Judge Mark Gerhardt approved the plea and sentenced Spann, a convicted felon, to five years in the Illinois Department of Corrections pursuant to the plea.
Prosecutors said Spann purchased over $300 worth of merchandise from the Walmart in Crystal Lake on November 24, 2023.
Spann left the store with the receipt and merchandise only to return minutes later with only the receipt, prosecutors said.
Prosecutors said Spann selected the same items he had just purchased and returned them using the receipt.
The incident was captured on surveillance video, which was recovered by the Crystal Lake Police Department and used to identify Spann.
Spann was ordered to pay restitution to the Crystal Lake Walmart, as well as other Walmarts in McHenry County where he stole from, court records show.
McHenry County State’s Attorney Patrick Kenneally said after the plea hearing that he “expresses his gratitude to the officers of the Crystal Lake Police Department and McHenry County Assistant State’s Attorney Tyler Mikan, [for] their thorough investigation and commitment to the safety of our residents and local businesses.”