Alleged Walmart Beer Thief Racks up Charges After Assault on Employee, Cop

Adam Lee Mendez, was facing only a Class B Misdemeanor theft charge when he caught the eye of a Walmart associate on Saturday, who accused him stealing beer. The 32-year-old initially cooperated with the 29th St. store's security and went into the security office, but by the time it was all over he'd gone from a maximum punishment of 180 days in jail to a maximum of 10 years on a felony charge.

According to police, Mendez was caught attempting to steal beer, water and ice from the store at approximately 6:09 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 8. Store security officers contacted police, who learned en-route that Mendez had become combative.

When officers Eduardo Salmon and Lee Kvittem arrived on scene, they found that Mendez had not only assaulted a 44-year-old security guard, but also began resisting arrest as they attempted to remove him from the store. At some point during the struggle, Mendez kicked Officer Kvittem in the knee, causing minor injury, police said. 

Once Mendez was arrested, he was transported to the county jail, where he was booked on the original Class B theft charge, plus a Class A assault on the security officer, Class B resisting arrest and a third-degree felony charge for assaulting Officer Kvittem. Class B Misdemeanors are punishable by up to 180 days in jail and a fine not to exceed $2,000. Class A Misdemeanors are punishable by up to a year in jail and a fine not to exceed $4,000; and a third-degree felony is punishable by two to 10 years in prison and a fine not to exceed $10,000.

Mendez was one of 30 men and women jailed on Saturday; another 16 were released that day.

On Friday, 31 individuals were jailed, while 37 were released.