Houston Woman Arrested in League City Theft Case Tied to $78,000 Retail Crime Spree

LEAGUE CITY, TX – A Houston woman accused of stealing tens of thousands of dollars in merchandise from multiple retail stores across the region was arrested this week following a League City Police Department investigation.

Officers with the League City Police Department Business District Unit arrested 56-year-old Carmen Scarlet Fernandez of Houston on January 14, 2026, with assistance from the Houston Police Department. Fernandez was taken into custody on a misdemeanor theft warrant related to an incident at an Ulta Beauty store in League City.

In addition to the League City warrant, investigators confirmed Fernandez had eight outstanding warrants, including a felony theft warrant issued by the Galveston County Sheriff’s Office with a bond set at $75,000, three felony warrants from the Harris County Sheriff’s Office, and four misdemeanor warrants.

According to investigators, Fernandez was identified as the suspect who shoplifted multiple cosmetic items from the League City Ulta Beauty location on October 21, 2025. As the investigation expanded, detectives linked her to thefts at several Ulta Beauty stores throughout the Houston–Galveston area. Authorities estimate the value of believes stolen merchandise from those locations exceeds $78,000, with additional retail losses still under investigation.

Detectives located Fernandez at a hotel in the 6900 block of the Southwest Freeway in Houston, where she was taken into custody without incident. An associate found with Fernandez at the time of the arrest was also taken into custody by Houston police on an unrelated warrant.

League City police credited interagency cooperation for the successful arrest and thanked the Houston Police Department for its assistance as the investigation continues.