A Texas man has been sentenced to 45 years in prison after prosecutors linked him to a large-scale retail theft operation that allegedly stole more than $300,000 worth of merchandise, including over 200 LEGO sets.
According to the Watauga Police Department, 28-year-old Winston Love was convicted of organized retail theft with a deadly weapon. In addition to the prison sentence, he was ordered to pay a $10,000 fine.
Investigators said Love carried out a 50-day theft spree in 2025 that stretched across North Texas and Oklahoma. Authorities estimate the operation resulted in more than $300,000 in stolen goods from multiple retailers.
Among the items allegedly taken were more than 200 LEGO sets, as well as coffee makers, vacuum cleaners, and PlayStation controllers. Police said the thefts were connected to multiple cases spanning several jurisdictions.
The investigation intensified after Love was accused of stealing more than $1,200 worth of LEGO products from a Target store in Watauga in October 2025. Authorities later tracked him to a residence, where he was arrested following a brief standoff.
During the execution of a search warrant, investigators reportedly recovered a vehicle, more than $5,000 in cash, and narcotics.
Prosecutors said the case became one of the first major trials conducted under Texas' updated organized retail theft law, which took effect in September 2025. Law enforcement officials described the sentence as a significant response to organized retail crime, which has become an increasing concern for retailers across the United States.
Authorities said the investigation ultimately tied Love to theft operations across both Texas and Oklahoma, making it one of the larger retail theft cases prosecuted in the region in recent years.