Woman pleads guilty to organized thefts from Ulta, Victoria’s Secret

A woman accused of stealing items repeatedly from an Ulta store in Geneva, as well as ones in Naperville and Niles, has pleaded guilty to a charge of organized retail crime.

Schantasia Abernathy, 29, of Milwaukee, entered her plea on Dec. 13, according to Kane County court records.

Co-defendant Ashley Williams, 28, also of Milwaukee, is awaiting trial.

The duo were charged with stealing four times from the Ulta in Geneva, four times from one in Naperville and three times from one in Niles, between Jan. 8 and May 6, 2023.

They were also charged with stealing twice from a Victoria’s Secret in Bolingbrook and once from a Victoria’s Secret in Aurora.

The Illinois Attorney General’s Office, which is prosecuting the cases, said they stole fragrances and clothing and that Williams would resell them via her Instagram account.

Initially, Abernathy also was charged with retail theft and burglary. Those charges were dropped as part of a plea agreement.

Abernathy received a sentence of 60 days in jail and 24 months of probation. She must serve 30 days before being eligible for release for good behavior.

The probation will run concurrently with probation in a Cook County case. She will begin her sentence Jan. 7.

Williams is charged with one count of organized retail crime, one count of being an organizer of a continuing financial crimes enterprise, one count of continuing a financial crimes enterprise, 15 counts of retail theft, and 14 counts of burglary.