A Detroit woman has pleaded guilty to organizing “push out” thefts at more than 13 Ulta Beauty stores in Wayne, Oakland and Macomb counties, officials said.
Cheaira Broughton, 38, pleaded guilty to one count of conducting a criminal enterprise (a 20-year felony) for organizing a “high-volume theft ring” that targeted Ulta locations in Metro Detroit, according to a release from Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel’s office.
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The charge stems from a rash of thefts that happened in October and November 2023.
The small organized group would enter an Ulta store, grab as much merchandise as they could put into a shopping basket or carry, and then walk or run out of the front door and into a getaway car.
After the items were stolen, Broughton would sell them on Facebook Marketplace, according to the release.
The operation resulted in losses exceeding $30,000.
Broughton was charged in November 2025 and pleaded guilty on March 12, 2026.
She is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Wanda Evans in the 3rd Circuit Court in Wayne County on April 17.
“When dismantling theft rings, we must investigate and prosecute organizers behind the scenes who profit from these crimes, and I am proud of my FORCE Team and our retail partners and law enforcement officers who helped stop this enterprise in its tracks and secure this conviction,” said Nessel. ”We remain committed to ensuring that those who lead these dangerous operations face the full weight of the law.”
Several agencies investigated this case, including Michigan State Police, the FORCE team, corporate investigators, and the Grosse Pointe, Novi, Canton, Troy, Allen Park and Birmingham police departments.
The FORCE Team, established in January 2023, is a specialized unit focused on combating organized retail crime. Standing for Focused Organized Retail Crime Enforcement, it brings together prosecutors, investigators, and law enforcement partners to target criminal groups that steal and resell retail goods.