FARMINGTON — A St. Albans woman pleaded guilty Monday to stealing thousands of dollars worth of electronics and other items from the Farmington Wal-Mart last year.
Tori Gifford, 39, also admitted to probation violations in Cumberland and Kennebec County cases.
Judge Nancy Carlson sentenced Gifford on all three cases in Franklin County Superior Court.
Gifford pleaded guilty to two counts of Class C theft by unauthorized taking or transfer in the Farmington case.
It was a negotiated plea, Assistant District Attorney Joshua Robbins said.
If there was a trial, a loss prevention officer would have testified that he was investigating a high number of thefts of high-value small items from the Farmington Wal-Mart, Robbins said.
The officer would also testify that Tori Gifford and her husband, Anthony Nigro, 37, had been in the store numerous times and had picked up small, high-value items. The officer contacted Farmington Police Detective Marc Bowering, who investigated. Bowering would also testify that a search warrant was executed at the couple’s residence in June 2016 and some stolen items were recovered.
In July 2016, Bowering said that nearly $6,000 worth of items suspected of being stolen from Wal-Mart stores were recovered at the residence.
Carlson sentenced Gifford to three years, all suspended, and two years probation on each theft count in Farmington, to be served at the same time. She must also pay $1,500 to Wal-Mart through her probation officer.
In a special requirement, she may not enter into a retail store without an adult, which cannot be her husband, and specifically she cannot return to Wal-Mart, Robbins said.
Another stipulation is that Gifford not use or transact any sales on eBay.
Gifford also admitted to violating probation in Cumberland and Kennebec theft cases dating to 2014.
Carlson sentenced Gifford to nine months and a day in jail on each violation. Both will be served at the same time. The probation violations are separate from the Farmington theft sentences.
Robbins said Gifford has theft convictions dating from 2000-2014, possibly going back to the late 1990s.
Gifford plans to turn herself in at the Farmington jail on March 24.
Gifford’s husband, who faces the same theft charges connected to Farmington Wal-Mart, was in court waiting for his case, but during a recess fell down the stairs in the courthouse and was taken to a hospital.
Tori Gifford
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