Two men who stole hundreds of thousands of dollars in merchandise from the Moreno Valley warehouse where they were employed both pleaded guilty Monday to grand theft.
Francisco Chavez Cuica, 51, and Eduardo Chavez Diaz, 20, both of Riverside, admitted the felony count under a plea agreement with the Riverside County District Attorney’s Office. No charges were dismissed as part of the deal.
Superior Court Judge Walter Kubelun scheduled a sentencing hearing for June 6 at the Riverside Hall of Justice. There was no indication of prospective terms related to jail time or probation.
Each defendant remains free on his own recognizance.
According to sheriff’s Sgt. Joseph Fitzgerald and court documents, deputies were sent to Jillamy Logistics at 22340 Van Buren Blvd. on the morning of July 17, 2023, to investigate “an ongoing embezzlement scheme” that had been uncovered by management.
“The business reported an estimated loss of $350,000 in stolen merchandise from the warehouse, involving two employees,” Fitzgerald said. “During the investigation, (sheriff’s) personnel discovered the merchandise was being sold through an online marketplace.”
Sufficient evidence was gathered to obtain and serve a search warrant at the defendants’ shared residence in the 9100 block of Rangpur Circle hours later, according to Fitzgerald.
“Approximately $78,818 in stolen merchandise belonging to the warehouse was seized from the residence,” Fitzgerald said.
The specific time span over which the thefts occurred was not disclosed.
The defendants were taken into custody without incident.
Neither man has documented prior felony convictions in Riverside County.