Queens man sentenced to prison after accused of defrauding TJX stores in 30 states, including Western NY

WESTERN, N.Y. — A man from Queens, N.Y., has been sentenced to prison by U.S. District Judge Michael P. Shea, as he has been accused of defrauding TJX stores across the country of more than $400,000, including stores in the Western N.Y. region.

Chester Culler, 48, has been accused of committing more than 800 acts of theft and fraudulent transactions between July 2020 and February 2024, according to court documents and statements made in court.

Court documents and court statements also said that Culler would steal merchandise from a TJX store, would return the stolen merchandise to a TJX store to receive a TJX gift card, would take that receipt and alter it to make it look like he paid for those items with cash to get a cash refund.

The stores Culler hit included TJ Maxx, Marshalls, HomeGoods and other stores in places such as Rochester, Pittsford, Victor, Canandaigua and other areas in and outside of Western N.Y, said the District of Connecticut.

Culler was arrested on Feb. 7, 2024 by Wethersfield Police after they responded to a complaint call from a loss prevention investigator at a Marshall’s in Wethersfield, C.T, according to the District of Connecticut.

Culler was initially charged with Connecticut state offenses, and subsequently by a federal criminal complaint issued in the Western District of New York. The federal case was then transferred to the District of Connecticut.

On April 30, 2024, Culler pleaded guilty in New Haven federal court to one count of wire fraud, where Judge Shea ordered Culler to pay full restitution and prohibited him from entering any TJX stores.

He was sentenced to nine months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release and is expected to report to prison March 27, as he is currently in home incarceration ordered by Judge Shea.