(Woodland, CA) – January 26, 2024 – Today, Traireese Jones, a 28-year-old West Sacramento resident, was sentenced to 3 years in state prison for Second Degree robbery with personal use of a deadly weapon and assault with a deadly weapon committed during an act of retail theft. Jones was also convicted of a felony Conspiracy to Commit a Theft, Failure to Appear; Commission of a Felony while on Own Recognizance; and admitted several aggravating circumstances.
These convictions stem from Jones’ brazen and violent conduct on September 9, 2022, at a West Sacramento Raley’s. On that date, at around 10:00 a.m., West Sacramento Police Department officers were dispatched for a reported robbery. Upon arrival, officers contacted the store’s loss prevention employee who had a visible laceration to his forehead and was bleeding profusely. He explained that he had tried to prevent Jones from stealing from the store by asking her to stop, he followed her as she exited the store, and tried to grab the handle of the store’s basket she was carrying full of merchandise. In response, Jones raised a large, heavy, glass-candle she had stolen from the store and struck the employee in the face, causing significant injury, at which point the employee to let go of the basket. Jones then picked up the stolen items that had fallen out of the basket during the robbery and fled the scene. The entire incident was captured on the store’s surveillance video.
Jones fled to a nearby motel, where she was later contacted and admitted she did not intend to pay for items when she went into the Raley’s. She also stated that she did not believe the loss prevention officer should have tried to stop her from stealing the items.
Jones was released from jail soon after her arrest and later failed to appear for her scheduled hearing. She was arrested in Sacramento County, after reportedly stealing from another retailer, and returned to Yolo County. After pleading to all charges, Jones asked the Court to make an unusual case finding and grant her probation. The Honorable Samuel T. McAdam declined, citing to Jones’ criminal history and the danger she poses to public safety.
Yolo County District Attorney Jeff Reisig stated, “We take retail theft very seriously in Yolo County especially when store employees are physically harmed during the performance of their jobs.”
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