A Texas man has entered a guilty plea in connection with a coordinated theft operation that targeted LEGO merchandise at major retail chains across the state. Ladarion Anderson pleaded guilty Thursday in Smith County to engaging in organized criminal activity. The scheme resulted in losses exceeding $400,000 for retailers including Walmart and Target.
Anderson was ordered to pay approximately $12,000 in restitution to Target and $71,000 to Walmart. He was initially arrested in July 2025 after law enforcement linked him to the group. The operation relied on a specific method involving altered receipts to bypass security checks.
According to arrest records, Anderson and co-defendant Brian Fleming would enter Walmart locations and proceed directly to the toy section. They would purchase a small number of low-cost items, usually under one dollar, and then modify the receipts to show they had bought high-value LEGO sets at the correct price.
Other members of the group would enter the store shortly after. These individuals would go to the LEGO aisle and select the same number of sets listed on the doctored receipt. They would place the items in a cart and walk through the checkout lanes without attempting to pay. If questioned by staff, they would present the altered receipt as proof of purchase.
The group allegedly operated in multiple Texas cities, including Dallas, Houston, Austin, Tyler, Longview, and Ennis. Fleming previously pleaded guilty to the same charge in June and was sentenced to 28 years in prison.
Other individuals involved in the case have upcoming court dates. Shane Joel Gentry and Semetric Baker are scheduled to appear in Smith County court on July 23 for pretrial hearings regarding engaging in organized criminal activity. Erica Johnson is set to appear for a pretrial on July 30 for the same charge.
