Illegal immigrant arrested as migrant based ocean county shoplifting criminal enterprise broken up

TOMS RIVER, N.J. — Wady A. Lopez-Florentino, 35, was arrested on January 18, 2025, in Ocean County on multiple charges, including shoplifting, resisting arrest, and obstructing the administration of law. Lopez-Florentino, who also uses the alias Carlos Antonio Lopez-Gomez, is being held without bail and is subject to an immigration detainer issued by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

According to court records, Lopez-Florentino faces charges under case numbers W20250000741506 and W20250000781506, including:

Shoplifting by concealment
Possession of anti-shoplifting device tools
Obstructing the administration of law
Resisting arrest with substantial risk of physical injury

Police allege that Lopez-Florentino used tools to evade store security systems while shoplifting and later resisted officers, creating a risk of injury during the arrest.

Lopez-Florentino is one of several inmates currently incarcerated in the Ocean County Jail as part of a wider shoplifting criminal enterprise operation.

In addition to the criminal charges, an immigration detainer has been issued, indicating that Lopez-Florentino may face immigration proceedings after his criminal case is resolved.

Lopez-Florentino is being held without bail, and no projected release date has been set, as the charges remain open.

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