D.A. Decides Reporter Was Deceived, Will Not Charge Her in Store Thefts

Charges will not be filed against a free-lance reporter arrested last month in connection with thefts from a Neiman Marcus department store, authorities said.

Mary Anne Perez, a free-lancer who has written for The Times Orange County Edition, “was just acting as a very nice person,” when she returned merchandise allegedly stolen by a friend and received a cash refund, Deputy Dist. Atty. Howard P. Gundy said.

Gundy said grand theft charges are still being pursued against Albert Quintanilla, a salesman at the Fashion Island department store before his arrest. Quintanilla, 45, is a Latino activist in Costa Mesa and a bilingual teacher’s aide at Wilson Elementary School in Costa Mesa.

Quintanilla was arrested last month after detectives viewed videotapes showing the suspect removing items from display cases in the men’s department, police said. According to Perez, she returned some merchandise to the store for refunds after Quintanilla told her that as a store employee he just had 30 days to return items and that period had expired.

Perez was arrested days after she exchanged the allegedly stolen items for refunds amounting to $1,386.34.

“She was deceived,” Gundy said. “She was not criminally involved.”

“It’s a big relief,” Perez said Wednesday of the decision by the district attorney’s office. “I’m glad that this nightmare is almost over.” Her attorney is working on erasing the arrest record, Perez said.