A California couple that bragged on national television about shoplifting toys -- which included Lego and Star Wars-themed toys -- have been sentenced to more than a year in prison each after being busted selling the hot goods on eBay.
Matthew and Laura Eaton were indicted in September, more than a year after they appeared on the Dr. Phil show bragging about their escapades. They told viewers they earned about $3,500 per week selling the goods they pilfered from outlets surrounding their suburban San Diego home.
The 27-year-old woman was sentenced to 366 days imprisonment. Her 34-year-old husband got 27 months on Monday.
Using eBay user IDs such as "meeaton75," welcomemat75" and "matt_hts," the defendants informed their online eBay clientele they lawfully obtained the toys from "distributors," according to the one-count conspiracy indictment (.pdf).
The indictment alleges that in August 2008, they hijacked a Star Wars Millennium Falcon toy from a Target near their home, where the authorities discovered 500 other boxes of stolen toys. In all, the authorities said the two sold about $100,000 worth of shoplifted toys on eBay between 2006 and 2009.
According to a transcript of the Dr. Phil show that aired November 2008, Dr. Phil McGraw asked the husband: "Are you lazy?" Eaton replied: "Probably."
When issuing the sentences Monday, U.S. District Judge Irma Gonzalez "went off" on McGraw, who was not at the hearing.
According to the San Diego Union-Tribune:
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