DALLAS — Four men have been arrested and charged in connection to stealing thousands of dollars’ worth of alcoholic beverages from a North Texas distributer, the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission says.
TABC says Janish Pankaj Vaishnav, 33, Victor Antonio Aguilar-Leon, 34, Carlos Jaime Munoz, 43, and Michael Angel Medrano, 22, all face charges of felony organized retail theft.
The charges stem from an investigation that began in April 2022, after TABC agents were contacted by officials from Southern Glazer’s Wine and Spirits, a nationwide distributer with operations in 44 states, including Texas.
Southern Glazer told TABC that a Dallas package store was had hundreds of cases of distilled spirits, but the company had no record of selling or delivering to the store.
Following an investigation, TABC discovered that the manager of Top Liquor Beer and Wine, located in the 7600 block of Greenville Avenue in Dallas, had illegally purchased stolen products from a Southern Glazer delivery driver and two other Southern Glazer employees.
TABC agents recovered 230 cases of vodka, 119 cases of cognac and 29 cases of tequila from the Dallas store – valued at more than $34,000.
“We are very appreciative of the TABC’s quick response to this situation,” said Matt Metz, Southern Glazer's executive vice president and general manager. “We are also grateful for the TABC agents who helped bring this case to a resolution.”
Southern Glazer said total long-term losses of the product could top more than $278,000 for the company.
All four suspects involved in the theft were booked into the Dallas County jail but were later released on bond.
Officials said organized retail theft is a third-degree felony and Vaishnav, Aguilar-Leon, Munoz and Medrano could all face up to 10 years in prison if convicted.
The criminal cases are pending with the Dallas County District Attorney’s Office. A TABC administrative cases also remain open at Top Liquor.
“This case marks outstanding cooperation between TABC agents, Southern Glazer’s and our partners at the Dallas County District Attorney’s Office,” TABC Executive Director Thomas Graham said. “Without their assistance, it’s likely this theft would have continued even longer and could have caused ongoing harm both to the business and their customers across Texas.”
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