Quincy woman with outstanding warrants charged with shoplifting, drug charges
BOSTON, February 21, 2024 – A Quincy woman with a 16-page criminal record was arraigned last week in South Boston BMC after police discovered over 40 grams of drugs on her body while responding to a shoplifting call at Macy’s in South Bay Mall, District Attorney Kevin Hayden announced.
TAYLOR LACORTE, 35, was charged with trafficking heroin over 36 grams, possession with intent to distribute a class B substance, possession of a class B substance, trespassing, and shoplifting.
Judge Joseph Griffin revoked Lacorte’s bail on a pending case, set $5,000 bail on the new charges, and ordered Lacorte to stay away from all Macy’s locations. Lacorte is due back in court March 5 for a probable cause hearing.
At about 7:30 p.m. on February 15, Boston police responded to a shoplifting call at Macy’s at 8 Allstate Road. The suspect, later identified as Lacorte, had concealed a pair of sneakers with a value of $89.00 and initially provided officers with a false name. An inquiry with Lacorte’s real name revealed she had six outstanding warrants.
Macy’s employees informed officers that Lacorte has been caught shoplifting on multiple occasions and has been banned by store management.
During the arrest, Lacorte flailed her body around and told officers she was pregnant and could not breathe. Lacorte was transported to a local hospital for evaluation. While at the hospital, officers conducted a search and observed a bulge in her front pant area, which was found to be a large plastic bag. Lacorte began to yell and refused to acknowledge or remove the bag. Once the bag had fallen between her thighs, officers observed a large bag containing 33 smaller bags with a tan powder-like substance officers believed to be heroin, weighing approximately 42 grams in total. Officers also recovered substances that they believed to be cocaine and crack cocaine from the large bag and $310 in U.S. currency.
Lacorte’s outstanding warrants are for various charges in Middlesex and Norfolk counties including shoplifting and breaking and entering. Lacorte has been convicted of numerous shoplifting, larceny, breaking and entering and credit card fraud charges.
“We are being mindful and strategic in our approach to retail crime, with special consideration for the safety of store employees and the impact on the community when retailers close shop because of rampant shoplifting or other issues. Part of that approach is working with retailers to identify chronic offenders and put together an appropriate response,” said Hayden, whose office has been meeting with Boston-area retailers on store-based crime issues. “As with so many other crime categories, in retail settings a small number of offenders can drive a large number of problems.”
All charged individuals are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Suffolk County District Attorney Kevin Hayden’s office serves the communities of Boston, Chelsea, Revere, and Winthrop, Mass. The office handles over 20,000 cases a year. More than 160 attorneys in the office practice in nine district and municipal courts, Suffolk Superior Court, the Massachusetts Appeals Court, the Supreme Judicial Court, and the Boston Juvenile Courts. The office employs some 300 people and offers a wide range of services and programs to serve anyone who comes in contact with the criminal justice system. This office is committed to educating the public about the services we provide, our commitment to crime prevention, and our dedication to keeping the residents of Suffolk County safe.
James Borghesani, Chief of Communications