A prosecutor said Tuesday that a Wisconsin woman stole perfume and cologne from McHenry and Crystal Lake Ulta Beauty stores and is part of “an ongoing criminal enterprise.”
Markea L. Brown, 33, of Milwaukee, made her first court appearance on the two separate cases Tuesday. She is charged in each case with retail theft of more than $300, according to criminal complaints filed in McHenry County court by Crystal Lake and McHenry police.
About 6:45 p.m. Feb. 9, Brown allegedly stole “various fragrances” valuing $1,452 from the McHenry store; about an hour later she allegedly stole “several female perfumes and male colognes” from Ulta in Crystal Lake, according to the complaints.
Assistant State’s Attorney Garrett Miller argued Brown should be detained pretrial in McHenry County jail because otherwise she would continue to commit retail thefts and is a flight risk. Other than stealing from retailers, she has no reason to return to McHenry County, Miller said.
The allegations are “part of a string of thefts ... part of an ongoing criminal business in the Wisconsin and Illinois area,” Miller said, adding Brown wore a mask during the alleged thefts and then fled.
“It’s not something that is going to stop in the near future. [There is] no reason to believe she will return ... for court,” Miller said.
He also said Brown has been to prison previously for retail thefts and currently has two pending cases in Wisconsin and Illinois. The alleged crimes “constitute an ongoing criminal enterprise,” he said.
Wisconsin court records show Brown was convicted of retail theft in 2021, 2020, 2018 and 2015 in Milwaukee County and in 2017 in Kenosha County. According to Cook County, records she has been convicted in Northbrook for retail theft.
However, Assistant Public Defender Kim Messer said Brown does not live too far away to come to court and should be released pretrial. She has no history of not appearing in other cases and turned herself in when she learned of the charges in McHenry County, Messer said.
Judge Cynthia Lamb released Brown pretrial. She is allowed to return to her home in Milwaukee and only travel between Illinois and Wisconsin for court. Lamb also ordered Brown have no contact with Ulta stores.