Shoplifters who confessed on ‘Dr. Phil’ get federal prison

SAN DIEGO — A husband and wife from San Diego County
who confessed on the “Dr. Phil” television show that they had been
running a shoplifting ring for several years were sentenced Monday to
federal prison.

Matthew Eaton was sentenced to 27 months in custody and his wife, Laura Eaton to 12 months. Both had pleaded guilty to conspiracy to traffic across state lines in stolen goods.

On the television show, the couple, living in San Marcos in northern San Diego County, said they had earned up to $100,000
a year by selling stolen goods on the Internet. They traveled to
several states, often with their children as decoys, to shoplift at toy
stores and other business, according to court documents.

When investigators raided the couple’s home, 500 boxes of stolen goods were seized.

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