Eleven arrested at Commerce Walmart

Eleven women were arrested for theft over a 48-hour period between Oct. 21 and Oct. 23. Seven are A&M-Commerce students.

According to a press release from the Commerce Police Department, the cases were all reported at the Walmart store located on Highway 24/50. Commerce police officers took the 11 women into custody after Walmart's loss prevention team detained them on charges of theft.

"They have a good LP team there, so thieves beware when you go into Walmart," Public Information Officer for the Commerce Police Department Alex Suarez said.

Calls to Walmart's loss prevention department were not returned as of press time.

Six of the students were identified as Laquishia Johnson, Jasmine Malone, Traquella Gentry, Brittany Johnson, Elexus Alen, and Lantisha Blizzard. All will face a state jail felony, according to Suarez. He said the six of them walked into the store together planning to commit acts of theft, which is considered organized crime.

"When there are more than three people involved, it's considered organized criminal activity," he said.

The seventh A&M-Commerce student, Alissa Taylor, will not face charges for organized criminal activity. The other women were identified as Commerce residents Patricia Dreas, Shasha Brown, Tangelia Brown and a 17-year-old Farmersville resident whose name was withheld.

In all cases, the women were taken to the Commerce Police Department for booking and subsequently transferred to the Hunt County Jail for arraignment. All of the women were out of jail on bond as of press time.

The release closed with a statement regarding theft and its potential consequences.

"The main focus that we at the Commerce Police Department would like to remind people is that shoplifting does not pay," the release said. "All of these women face criminal charges as well as civil litigation and a criminal record that will follow them around for the rest of their lives."

The case has been turned over to the Hunt County Prosecutor's office.