NASSAU COUNTY – Following a two-year investigation, a man suspected of participating in a three-state robbery spree, including stores in Clay County, was arrested on Feb. 22 after being returned from custody in the Camden County, Georgia, Jail.

Brian Lee Wallace, 31, of Kingsland, Georgia, was charged with eight counts of grand theft and a single count of petit theft after the Florida Department of Law Enforcement completed a two-year investigation that determined four people stole a total of $86,083 of merchandise from 73 Home Depot and Target stores in Florida, Georgia and South Carolina.

David Alexander was a Clay County Sheriff’s Office deputy until he joined FDLE in 2022. He investigated the robberies for CCSO before he left for the FDLE.

According to a 10-page affidavit for an arrest warrant, the two primary figures in the robberies were Robert Bryant and Kimberly Thompson of Brunswick, Georgia. Bryant was arrested and charged with possession of a controlled substance, providing a false name or ID to law enforcement, shoplifting, arson and obstructing law enforcement on Aug. 17, 2022. According to the affidavit, while Bryant was in the Glynn County Jail, he phoned Thompson and instructed her to find new accomplices and continue to rob stores. Those conversations were recorded.

The affidavit states Wallace was one of three recruited to participate in the robbery spree.

Wallace was arrested in Kingsland on May 20 after being charged with child cruelty, aggravated assault, making terrorist threats, felony probation violation and family violence battery after Wallace beat and threatened his brother, according to the arrest report.

Alexander wrote that the thieves sold the stolen items to prearranged buyers who provided a list of what they wanted or sold the merchandise on Facebook. A search of Facebook Messenger data revealed the items generally sold for less than half of their retail value.

The primary source of financing was the Cash App. Stores in Clay, Columbia, Duval, Volusia, Alachua, Flagler, Nassau and St. Johns counties were targeted in Florida.

Bryant told investigators he researched Home Depot policies and learned store employees aren’t allowed to intervene once the merchandise passes through the doors.

Wallace’s bond was set at $85,026.