PEEBLES, OH — A Peebles woman has been sentenced following a multi-year, multi-state retail fraud investigation that defrauded Home Depot of more than $266,000.
Tracy A. James, of Peebles, Ohio, was found guilty of Telecommunications Fraud, a second-degree felony, after investigators determined she conducted more than 1,700 fraudulent transactions across several states since 2018. The Medina Township Police Department led the investigation, working closely with Home Depot Organized Retail Crime investigators and the Medina County Prosecutor’s Office.
The scheme involved James making fraudulent merchandise returns at multiple Home Depot locations, including Medina, Wadsworth, Brunswick, Miamisburg, and Milford in Ohio, as well as stores in Kentucky. She used counterfeit driver’s licenses and multiple aliases to secure store credit, which she then used to purchase items for resale online.
On February 27, 2026, James pleaded guilty in Medina County Court of Common Pleas. Her sentence includes:
- 5 years of community control supervision
- 180 days in the Medina County Jail
- 100 hours of community service
- Full restitution of $266,699 to Home Depot
A co-defendant, April Mathis, also from Peebles, surrendered to authorities on March 5, 2026, and was released on her own recognizance under house arrest. Her case is scheduled for a jury trial on June 1, 2026.
This case highlights the ongoing efforts of law enforcement and corporate investigators to combat organized retail crime, which can span multiple states and involve complex fraudulent operations.
