More Information Released About Target Theft

The Sevierville Police Department has released a little more information about the arrest of two men earlier this week who were involved in a scheme to steal from Target stores.

The Sevierville Police Department had responded to a shoplifting call at Target on Winfield Dunn parkway Sunday night. Two suspects were caught shortly afterwards. It was after taking the two men into custody that police discovered the suspects were involved in a scheme to that had defrauded Target stores out of over a million dollars. Police say that 77 fraudulent gift cards were found during a search of the suspects’ vehicle. Those gift cards were used in a money laundering operation. One of the items taken from the Sevierville Target store was a $400 gift card.

The two men are both from Pontiac, Michigan near Detroit. They are 30 year old Michael Upshaw, Jr. and 20 year old Queshon Barkus II. Both faces charges of:

Organized Retail Crime, Money Laundering and Theft. Upshaw also faces additional charges of being a fugitive from justice; resisting arrest and impersonation of identity.

The investigation, which spans across multiple states, is still ongoing.