MILFORD – A participant in an organized retail theft ring that targeted stores in Milford was sentenced to state prison.  Elizabeth Dalton, 45, was sentenced to total of two to years in a state prison, after the entry of a guilty plea to the charges of organized retail theft and retail theft.

In determining the sentenced Pike County President Judge Joseph Kameen noted Dalton had 56 previous arrests and 41 convictions dating back to the 1980’s.

Dalton was arrested by Milford Police in January after she and another person were seen taking items from a drug store in Milford. Milford Police then stopped the vehicle that Dalton got into and subsequently arrested Dalton and another person for retail theft.

Further investigation revealed that Dalton was part of an organized retail theft ring centered in New York City. As part of the investigation, police learned that Dalton would travel with others to various retail stores and steal various products. Dalton would then sell the items for cash to persons in New York City. The items were then distributed to other stores or over the internet for sale at lower prices.

District Attorney Raymond Tonkin noted this was the first time his office encountered a prosecution of this type. He hopes however that the state prison sentenced handed to Dalton would deter any like groups from targeting stores in this area