Wallet thief pleads guilty to four counts of theft

EPHRATA — A Moses Lake woman was sentenced this week for stealing a wallet and charging hundreds of dollars on the victim’s credit card. 

Carmela Ramirez, 34, pleaded guilty to four counts of second-degree theft Tuesday in Grant County Superior Court. Ramirez was originally charged with seven counts of second-degree theft, however, three of those charges were dismissed. Judge Tyson R. Hill sentenced Ramirez to four concurrent terms of 21 days of house arrest for the four counts. 

According to the Moses Lake Police Department, on Dec. 24, 2022, an officer was dispatched to a business in the 1000 block of North Stratford Road after a subject had her wallet stolen and transactions were completed at that business.  

The victim said she dropped the wallet somewhere in the store. The video footage showed that she had left it on a chair after standing up and a woman, later identified as Ramirez, walked away with the wallet. 

An employee pulled up her transaction and the officer matched the contact information to Ramirez. She used the victim's credit card for around $250. 

The victim said she did not know Ramirez. The officer advised the victim to cancel all of her debit and credit cards.  

Then the officer was notified there was another charge at a nearby business. The officer recognized the vehicle and saw the victim’s wallet on the floorboard.  

The officer then saw two females, Ramirez and her mother, dragging suitcases out of the business. The officer then asked Ramirez where the wallet she stole was. She said it was in the car and the contents were with her. Ramirez handed the officer six credit and debit cards. 

The officer asked Ramirez why she took the wallet, and she said she was just going through it. Ramirez gave the officer all of the merchandise she had bought with the victim’s cards. 

The officer notified Ramirez she was under arrest for second-degree theft. She was transported and booked into Grant County Jail.  

The officer reached out to the business, whose staff provided the officer with two receipts totaling almost $250 and $630.  

The officer said there was probable cause to charge Ramirez with seven counts of second-degree theft.