By Richard Lieberman –
At a press conference on August 26, Ventura County District Attorney Eric Nasarenko and Los Angeles District Attorney Nathan Hochman announced the filing of charges against nine defendants involved in more than 600 thefts at over 70 Home Depot stores in Ventura and Los Angeles counties. The home improvement chain suffered losses exceeding $10 million in merchandise, making it the largest retail theft in the company’s history.
“This case demonstrates the scale, scope, and sophistication of organized retail theft,” Nasarenko said. “This wasn’t shoplifting; it was a criminal enterprise that allegedly stole millions, and it was finally stopped here in Ventura County,” he added.
The alleged ringleader, David Ahl of Woodland Hills, has been charged with directing theft crews to steal high-end electrical products such as dimmer switches, circuit breakers, and electrical outlets. He then resold them through his business, Arya Wholesale, located in Tarzana. Ahl currently faces 45 felony counts, including conspiracy, receiving stolen property, organized retail theft, grand theft, and money laundering. He remains in custody with bail set at $500,000.
Other conspirators charged include Ahl’s brother-in-law, Omid Abrishamkar of Calabasas, who faces 11 felony counts, including conspiracy, receiving stolen property, and money laundering, along with charges related to reselling stolen merchandise online. Also charged are Ahl’s ex-wife, Lorena Solis of Downey, and her partner, Enrique Neira Moreno, also of Downey. Both face eight felony counts of conspiracy related to reselling stolen goods in the Los Angeles area. All three remain in custody with bail set at $500,000.
“This case shows just how profitable and damaging organized retail theft can be,” said Ventura County Sheriff Jim Fryhoff. “It shows the importance of collaboration,” he added. “This investigation would not have been possible without the hard work of our detectives, support from Home Depot’s Loss Prevention team, and grant funding from the state.”
Two organized theft crews were used to carry out the crimes. The primary crew included Jose Banuelos Guerrero of South Gate, Edwin Rivera of Los Angeles, and Eber Bonilla Lopez of Pomona. They are accused of committing daily thefts, sometimes several times a day, stealing between $6,000 and $10,000 worth of merchandise per incident. They face multiple felony counts, including conspiracy, organized retail theft, receiving stolen property, and grand theft.
The second theft crew, Erlin Lopez-Hernandez and Danny Gomez, both from Pomona, are accused of stealing several times a week from stores across Los Angeles and Ventura counties. They have each been charged with three felony counts of conspiracy to commit organized retail theft. Bonilla Lopez is being held on $500,000 bail, while the others are being held on $250,000 bail.
The Ventura County Organized Retail Theft Task Force tracked the crews to over 600 thefts since January 2025 across Ventura, Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, and San Bernardino counties. Home Depot estimates the total losses at over $10 million in stolen merchandise over several years. As of the August 14, 2025 arrests, the task force has seized approximately $3.7 million in stolen Home Depot property, as well as $800,000 in illicit funds from accounts belonging to Ahl and Abrishamkar.
“These criminals have been operating a sophisticated multi-million-dollar enterprise that hurts businesses, workers, and consumers,” said Los Angeles District Attorney Nathan Hochman. “Today’s charges send a crystal-clear message: if you engage in these schemes, we will find you. And it makes no difference whether you’re in Los Angeles County, Ventura County, or anywhere in California — we will work with our law enforcement partners to dismantle criminal networks.”
The task force’s ability to investigate and prosecute these crimes was made possible by two state-funded Organized Retail Theft grants, which support dedicated investigators and prosecutors. The case was filed in Ventura County under Assembly Bill 1779, authored by Assemblymember Jacqui Irwin, which allows prosecutors to consolidate cases involving the same defendants across multiple counties.
Darlene Hermosillo, Home Depot’s Regional Asset Protection Manager, said the company’s efforts to combat organized retail crime go beyond the bottom line. “We want to ensure the safety of our customers, workers, and the community,” she said. “Organized retail crime is theft motivated by greed, not necessity,” she added.
Ahl has pleaded not guilty to all 48 counts. He remains in custody at the Ventura County Jail with bail set at $500,000. If convicted, he faces up to 32 years in state prison.
