Farmington Hills man convicted of organized retail fraud

(CBS DETROIT) – A Farmington Hills man has been sentenced to at least two years in prison in connection with cell phone theft in northern Michigan.

Attorney General Dana Nessel announced Tuesday that Darius Whitlow, 31, has been sentenced to 29 to 60 months after pleading guilty to organized retail fraud, false pretenses of up to $1,000 and less than $20,000, and identity theft.

Officials say Whitlow used fake IDs to buy the payment plan phones. The payment plans were then linked to the names stolen and used by Whitlow and his accomplices, a press release said.

Whitlow went through the scheme with multiple providers and only paid the sales tax.

“Mr Whitlow’s actions have caused long-term damage to his many victims, who must now work to recover their stolen identities,” Nessel said in a statement. “Organized Retail Crime is a highly involved and orchestrated criminal enterprise that costs Michigan businesses and consumers millions of dollars each year. I am grateful for the hard work and cooperation between our newly formed Organized Retail Crime Unit and the Michigan State Police, which helped to bring this thief to justice.”