An Artesia woman pleaded guilty to using a Kool-Aid packet to shoplift more than $100 in merchandise from the Artesia Walmart earlier this year, according to Artesia Municipal Court records.
Sandra Sosa, 59, was arraigned Monday by Artesia Municipal Judge Sarah Gallegos on charges of shoplifting, petty larceny and fraud, per court records. Sosa was arrested Saturday morning at 10:02 AM, read an Artesia Police Department arrest report.
Artesia Police Commander Lindell Smith said Sosa was released from the Artesia Detention Center on her own recognizance. Sosa and another woman were observed not scanning items at the self-checkout by two Walmart employees on February 17 at 7:51 AM, according to a criminal complaint filed against Sosa by the Artesia Police Department. Surveillance video indicated Sosa and the other woman failed to scan 12 items totaling $122.28, per the criminal complaint.
The women allegedly placed a Kool-Aid packet under the merchandise, reflecting the price of the drink mix and not the shoplifted items, read the criminal complaint. Both women allegedly started looking around and pacing while in the checkout lane, per the criminal complaint. Walmart personnel didn’t stop Sosa and the other woman, because they wanted to report the duo as shoplifters, the criminal complaint indicated… Carlsbad Current Argus