GREEN RIVER — Local bakery owner Roselyn Chavez pleaded not guilty to two felony counts stemming from multiple incidents where she allegedly took merchandise from Walmart without paying for it.

The 42-year-old Rock Springs resident appeared in the Third District Court of Judge Suzannah Robinson this afternoon for an arraignment to a felony charge of theft and a felony conspiracy to commit theft charge. If found guilty of both charges, Chavez could face a maximum sentence of 20 years in the Wyoming Women’s Center and/or a $20,000 fine. A trial date has been scheduled for August 28 at 9 a.m.

According to court documents, the charges stem from multiple incidents occurring over a three-month period in which Chavez and Brian Jackson allegedly stole nearly $7,000 in merchandise from Walmart. 

On March 13, Chavez and Jackson were issued shoplifting summons from the Rock Springs Police Department and after speaking to Chavez and Jackson they were released from the scene.

Court documents state, RSPD officer Greer Hodges met with a Walmart Asset Protection Agent, who was investigating Chavez and Jackson. The employee was looking over receipts and video surveillance in regards to alleged ongoing thefts Chavez and Jackson committed between January 10, 2023, and March 13, 2023.

Walmart associates suspected Chavez and Jackson were using the self-checkout register and were allegedly not scanning all of the items, but still placing those unscanned items into bags and then back into the shopping cart. Associates can look up transactions taking place at the store through an internal computer system and pinpoint transactions being made within the last 90 days.

The associate reviewed video surveillance of multiple transactions made by Chavez and Jackson together and separately and discovered that some of the items being placed in the shopping cart allegedly did not match all of the items purchased. This means that not all of the items were being scanned prior to being bagged, placed in the cart, and pushed out of the store.

After the investigation, the associate concluded Chavez and Jackson allegedly stole $2,144.39 worth of items in January, $3,245.57 in February, and $1,462.82 in March, for a total of $6,852.78.

An RSPD detective interviewed Chavez who said she runs Sweet Dayz Bakery in Rock Springs and has a business credit card and a business account that both she and Jackson have access to.

When asked about the shoplifting summons, Chavez said she and Jackson have a system where he scans the items and she bags the merchandise. On the day in question, January 10, Chavez said “she walked away from the register and did not realize Jackson had not scanned some of the items she had bagged,” documents stated.

Chavez said when she cannot get certain items from vendors or suppliers for the bakery, she shops at local grocery stores, including Albertsons, Smith’s, and Walmart to purchase the items she needs.

Chavez will remain out on a $7,500 cash or surety bond. She was ordered not to make any contact with Walmart or any of its employees. She will be allowed to travel to and from Utah for work-related purposes.

Jackson has been charged with felony theft and felony conspiracy to commit theft and faces the same maximum penalties. Jackson’s arraignment has yet to be scheduled.