Man sent to prison for Target theft; spouse gets probation

A 49-year-old Gardnerville Ranchos man with eight felonies was sentenced Tuesday to up to five years in Nevada State Prison after he and wife admitted they stole more than $1,600 in items from Target.

William Sarmiento Jr., 41, and Juana Gomez, 29, admitted felony theft in a plea agreement with the district attorney's office. In exchange for their guilty pleas, additional charges were dropped.

Gomez was sentenced to probation.

"I want to apologize to Douglas County, to the victims, and to you, your honor, for my stupidity in committing this crime. I want to ask for leniency so I can get back to my family and to my business."

Sarmiento avoided sentencing as an habitual criminal. His record includes a string of felony convictions including robbery with a deadly weapon, grand larceny, multiple burglaries and possession of stolen property.

Gamble said he was unable to find a gap in Sarmiento's history in the past 20 years when he wasn't in prison or facing criminal charges.

"My business wasn't prospering the way it was supposed to," Sarmiento said.

He opened a mobile vehicle detailing service last September shortly after he moved to Carson Valley from Las Vegas, following his release from prison.

"Some judge is going to send you to prison until you die," Gamble said.

Gomez denied she entered Target with the intent to steal.

"I'm embarrassed about my actions and how stupid it was," she said.

Gamble said he remained skeptical, along with the prosecution, about her intentions.

"It looks for all the world that is how they made their living: Stealing stuff and exchanging it for gift cards," the judge said.

"I'd like the opportunity to apologize to Target, my family, my children, to anybody I humiliated," Gomez said.

"Some you humiliated, some stole from," Gamble said.

Deputies were called to the store Jan. 13 after the couple - in the store with her 5- and 10-year-old daughters - were identified by store security as having taken items on Jan. 6. On Jan. 8, Sarmiento reportedly returned a DVD player without a sales slip and received a gift card in exchange.

A deputy reportedly watched Sarmiento push a cart out of the store without paying. As the deputy approached the suspect in the parking lot, Sarmiento fled on foot.

Sarmiento turned himself in.

Gamble said he was sentencing Sarmiento "for the actual offense committed, not Mr. Sarmiento's terrible history."

He is eligible for probation in 20 months.

"I have reduced the (minimum) amount on the slight chance you actually are serious you want to start a new life," Gamble said.

Sarmiento and Gomez were ordered to pay $392 restitution at $75 a month. The other items were recovered.

Gomez was ordered to stay out of Target for the three years of her probation and perform 40 hours of community service.