PALM DESERT: 22 Walmart employees arrested, accused of embezzlement, conspiracy

PALM DESERT — A highly coordinated, weeks-long, embezzlement and conspiracy investigation involving two dozen Walmart employees resulted in twenty-two arrests, Wednesday, Nov. 15. All those who were arrested were taken into custody at the Walmart Super Center at 34500 Monterey Avenue in Palm Desert.

The investigation involved store employees who have been accused of using a fraudulent coupon code to load money onto Walmart gift cards, which the alleged suspects then used to make fraudulent purchases.

In all, more than 1000 unauthorized transactions were reported by Walmart management.

On Wednesday, after a nearly two-week long investigation, Palm Desert Business District Team members, with assistance from the Palm Desert Special Enforcement Team, Palm Desert Burglary Suppression Unit, Palm Desert Station investigators, Traffic Team members, and Walmart Loss Prevention officers, arrested twenty-two employees.

The alleged suspects ranged from 19 to 53-years-old.

Fifteen of those employees were later booked into the Indio Jail on suspicion of embezzlement and conspiracy, Riverside Sheriff’s Sergeant Kirk Steines explained in a written press release after the investigation and arrests.

Six of the twenty-two who were arrested were later released pending further investigation and officials did not identify them.

Those booked into jail included Lidia Estrada, 33, of Palm Springs; Daniel Gonzalez, 41, of Palm Desert; Marianne Calizo, 21, of Palm Desert; Maria Zelaya, 26, of Desert Hot Springs; Imauny Marshall, 19, of Cathedral City; Carol Collins, 49, of Desert Hot Springs; Noemi Zelaya, 29, of Desert Hot Springs; Maria Contreras, 42, of La Quinta; Ariadna Mayorga, 21, of Desert Hot Springs; Alicia Herrera, 53, of Desert Hot Springs; Miguel Esteban, 25, of Bermuda Dunes; Roberto Luna, 29, of La Quinta; Selene Melchor-Molina, 31, of Desert Hot Springs; Amy Vasquez, 31, of La Quinta; and Edwin Rios, 19, of Desert Hot Springs. (See booking photos below.)

The investigation began Thursday, Nov. 2, when deputies from the Riverside County Sheriff’s Palm Desert Station were notified regarding several employees who Walmart loss prevention personnel identified as possibly being involved in the large-scale gift card scheme and other illegal activities.

During their investigation, law enforcement and Walmart officials identified twenty-four employees who were possibly involved in the embezzlement.

Additionally, “information gained during the investigation resulted in the recovery of property” many of the alleged suspects had obtained while using the fraudulent Walmart cards.

The investigation is active and ongoing.

Anyone with information regarding this investigation or who knows of other fraudulent activity related to this case is encouraged to call Deputy Stan at the Palm Desert Sheriff’s Station at (760) 836-1600. Callers can refer to incident file number T173130042 and can remain anonymous. Citizens may also submit a tip using the Sheriff’s CrimeTips online form.

 

Contact the writer: [email protected]

Trevor Montgomery, who recently moved from Riverside County to Shasta County, runs Riverside County News Source and Shasta County News Source. Additionally, he writes for Riverside County based newspapers Valley News, The Valley Chronicle and Anza Valley Outlook as well as Bonsall/Fallbrook Village News in San Diego County.

Trevor spent 10 years in the U.S. Army as an Orthopedic Specialist before joining the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department in 1998. He was medically retired after losing his leg, breaking his back and suffering both spinal cord and brain injuries in an off-duty accident.

During his time with the sheriff’s department, Trevor worked at several different stations, including Robert Presley Detention Center, Southwest Station in Temecula, Hemet/Valle Vista Station, Ben Clark Public Safety Training Center and Lake Elsinore Station, along with other locations.