PORTAGE, Mich. — UPDATE March 7, 2024: The county prosecutor dismissed the charges, and the case was closed without prejudice.
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A Kalamazoo County Commissioner is due in court Tuesday on charges of retail fraud.
Tami Rey, 39, is accused of "skip-scanning" items at a Walmart self-checkout in Portage on Friday, Dec. 22. Rey, and another woman identified as Victoria Johnson, were caught on surveillance video putting items into their cart without scanning them, according to a police report.
Rey denies any wrongdoing, saying that it was simply an accident when scanning the items they were purchasing. She wrote in a Facebook post that the items being purchased were for needy families and a food pantry. She went on to explain the situation by saying in part:
"We identified a couple of families and secured a last-minute small grant to purchase gifts. One family needed a bed for a youth member, and I found a nice futon available for in-store pickup at the Walmart on Shaver Road in Portage.
With hesitation, another individual and I went to purchase the futon and other items on the family’s list. Unfortunately, there were no open lanes at the checkout, so we had to use the self-checkout. It was challenging to scan all the items and keep them separate for accounting purposes. We had a total of three different transactions at one self-checkout, as I was also picking up a few food items for a shelter, which needed separate payment."
Rey is accused of not scanning and stealing a heated blanket valued at $76, while Johnson is accused of not scanning and stealing a makeup box valued at $29.97.
A Walmart employee reported retail fraud in progress to the Portage Department of Public Safety, which dispatched an officer.
When the officer arrived and made contact with Rey and Johnson, they told him that the items not being scanned wasn't intentional and they have never stolen anything.
The police report says that Rey told the officer "that she was an active board member and the vice chair for the Kalamazoo County Board of Commissioners."
The officer wrote in the report that Rey and Johnson were uncooperative during the investigation and refused to provide their names at first.
After eventually giving their names, Rey and Johnson were both issued a misdemeanor citation for retail fraud.
Rey is due in the 8th District Court for an arraignment and preliminary examination on Tuesday, Jan. 30 at 1 p.m.
Rey is a Democrat who serves as the commissioner for District 1 on the Kalamazoo County Board of Commissioners.
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