SCOTTSDALE, AZ (3TV/CBS 5) — A Florence man is in trouble with the law after Scottsdale police say he used his employer’s Amazon account to buy hundreds of items worth more than $137,000. Court documents say Darius O’Neal Hickson worked for West Pharmaceuticals in Scottsdale and robbed the company between August 2020 and August 2021. The company has a business credit account with Amazon for business purchases.
Investigators said Hickson purchased everything from video games and game consoles to BB guns and clothing using that account. All items have been shipped to the company. When confronted by West Pharma about it, police said Hickson admitted to purchasing the items, but “accidentally” forgot to switch to his personal account. He also allegedly joked with management that he would pay off the debt using a “$5.99 per month payment plan,” according to court records. The company reports purchases over $250, but everything was below that, police said.
Detectives said he also took laptops from the company and resold them and received $71,690. Police said West Pharma paid more than $144,000 for the computers. Hickson also reportedly resold some of the items he purchased on Amazon. After an internal investigation, Hickson was no longer with the company, and police were called in August. He was later arrested at his home in Florence. Prosecutors charged him Monday with one count of theft, a Class 2 felony. His bail was set at $2,500.
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