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7h ago

Florida Uses New Law to Charge Palm Beach Man With First-Degree Felony in $70,000 Baby Formula Thefts

Prosecutors say the repeat-offender case is an early test of HB 549 that carries potential 30-year sentences.

Palm Beach County Sheriff Ric Bradshaw, left, looks on as Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier talks about prosecuting retail thefts in Florida during a press conference at the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office in West Palm Beach on Tuesday, Sept. 23, 2025. (Carline Jean/South Florida Sun Sentinel)
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Overview

  • Attorney General James Uthmeier announced two first-degree felony retail-theft charges against Kenneth Jones Jr. under HB 549.
  • A probable cause affidavit alleges roughly 52 baby formula thefts since October 2024 at Publix, Walmart and Target across Palm Beach and Broward counties, with losses exceeding $70,000.
  • Jones was arrested May 29 after fleeing a traffic stop in Lake Worth Beach and remains in the Palm Beach County jail with bond set at $295,000.
  • Each first-degree felony charge carries a maximum of 30 years in prison and up to a $10,000 fine, and the case is being handled by the Office of Statewide Prosecution.
  • Officials highlighted baby formula theft as particularly harmful given past shortages and argued that organized retail theft raises costs for consumers.