BEEVILLE – Two Corpus Christi residents, Adrienne Marie Nash, 47, and James Anthony Hernandez, 39, face multiple criminal charges after deputies linked them to an organized multi-county retail theft operation stemming from an Aug. 26 incident, according to authorities.
Nash and Hernandez were arrested after Bee County Sheriff’s Office deputies conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle traveling south on U.S. 181 near Skidmore. The car matched the description of one involved in a theft reported earlier that day at Blue Ribbon Country Store, located at 1701 N. Frontage Road in Beeville.
During the theft, several Turtlebox electronic devices valued at approximately $1,400 were stolen from the business, according to Lt. Jamie Pelfrey of the police department’s Criminal Investigation Division.
Deputies recovered the stolen electronics alongside a broader stash of merchandise estimated at $4,000, including clothing, power tools and accessories.
“Several of the items still had retail tags and security devices attached,” Pelfrey said in a statement. “Investigators have confirmed that some of the recovered property was reported stolen from the Walmart in Beeville and the Home Depot located on South Padre Island Drive in Corpus Christi.”
Pelfrey noted that the cross-jurisdictional nature of the crime aligns with a known retail crime trend.
“The movement of individuals involved in organized retail theft across multiple jurisdictions is a known pattern of criminal activity,” Pelfrey said. “Offenders may target multiple retail businesses in different communities over a short period of time, making it more difficult for individual law enforcement agencies and retailers to immediately recognize that separate thefts may be connected.”
Nash was taken into custody on an outstanding San Patricio County theft warrant. She was also charged with Class A misdemeanor theft, Class B misdemeanor possession of a criminal instrument and Class A misdemeanor possession of dangerous drugs.
Hernandez was charged with Class A misdemeanor theft and Class B misdemeanor possession of a criminal instrument.
Neither suspect had bond set as of the sheriff’s office release.
Bee County Sheriff Randy Aguirre praised the quick work of his patrol officers following the arrest.
“Their ability to rapidly locate the suspect vehicle, take the offenders into custody and recover stolen property is another example of the dedication of the men and women of the Bee County Sheriff’s Office,” Aguirre said.
Pelfrey said investigators are working with affected retailers and neighboring law enforcement agencies to identify the rest of the recovered goods and determine if additional businesses were targeted.