TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (CBS12) — A 19-year-old man from New York is behind bars in Broward County after investigators say he used stolen food assistance benefits to illegally rack up purchases at a South Florida Walmart.

Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier announced the arrest of Thajanhney Tapahrelle Thomas of Brooklyn on May 6, who police say targeted EBT cards linked to at least two Florida residents. Authorities say the case highlights a growing trend of organized fraud tied to public assistance programs.

The arrest unfolded at a Walmart in Davie after an employee recognized a U-Haul parked outside that matched a recent alert involving fraudulent EBT purchases of baby formula. According to investigators, Thomas and another man got out of the truck and headed inside, drawing attention almost immediately.

Police say Thomas was seen loading up on several containers of baby formula, while the second man grabbed a large amount of other merchandise. At self-checkout, Thomas allegedly used two different EBT cards to pay before walking out toward the waiting U-Haul. That’s when officers, already alerted to the suspicious activity, stepped in and detained him.

Investigators say Thomas was carrying a New York ID along with two New York-issued EBT cards bearing different names. Despite the name differences, police say the cards contained matching information and were later confirmed to belong to two Florida residents.

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Thomas was arrested by Davie police and booked into the Broward County Jail. He now faces a long list of felony charges, including unlawful use of food assistance benefits, organized scheme to defraud, communications fraud, criminal misuse of personal information, possession and use of a skimming or re-encoding device, and petit theft. If convicted on all counts, authorities say he could face up to 21 years in state prison.

Uthmeier said the arrest reflects the state’s commitment to protecting taxpayer-funded assistance programs meant to help vulnerable families — and sends a clear message to criminals operating across state lines. Davie Police Chief Stephen Kinsey also credited strong coordination between local, state, and private partners for bringing the case together.

Officials say the investigation is still ongoing and additional charges are possible.