Fairfax County Sheriff's Employee Pleads Guilty to Shoplifting at Target

A Fairfax County Sheriff's employee pleaded guilty to one count of petit larceny, according to Loudoun County officials.

Robert H. Palmer Jr., 50, of Leesburg, turned himself in on two counts of petit larceny after the shoplifting incident at a Target store in Leesburg, Virginia.

Leesburg police positively identified Palmer as a sheriff's employee.

The second count of petit larceny was nolle prossed, meaning it was not purused any further. His 30-day jail sentence and $1,000 fine was suspended for one year on the condition that he pay court costs, be of good behavior, and break no further laws, according to officials. 

Additionally, he is required to stay off Target property in Loudoun County and pay restitution of $100.40.

The Target security guard who reported the shoplifting incident was fired days after submitting the report.

The guard, Dallas Northington, told the Washington Post that he responded to the incident by calling the police, filing a report, and providing a surveillance video, as he always did. 

Target officials told him he was fired for violating procedure by not filling out the paperwork before contacting police. 

Police said the firing "was strictly a corporate decision made by Target with no discussion or knowledge by our agency."

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