Meriden Grocery Store Owner Arrested, Charged With Receiving Stolen Goods

The owner of CJ Express, a small grocery store on West Main Street, was arrested and charged Thursday with buying baby food from two men who had allegedly just stolen it from the Stop and Shop grocery store right down the street.

Meriden Police detectives were watching the area of West Main Street and Cook Avenue after complaints of drug dealing in that spot, when officers saw a vehicle pull up to CJ Express at 145 West Main. A man, who police say is David Mercado, 26, of 46 North Avenue in Meriden, allegedly got out with his arms full of baby food.

Mercado walked into the store with the items and when he came out he was no longer carrying them, Meriden Police spokesman Glen Milslagle said. Officers decided to detain Mercado and the driver of the car, Mark Huelsman, 36, of 74 Bradley Ave., Meriden.

As detectives were talking with the two, they heard a broadcast over police radio that someone had just stolen the items Mercado was carrying from Stop and Shop at Centennial Plaza.

After investigating, officers arrested CJ Express owner Carlos Dominguez, 54, of 57 Britannia Street, Meriden, and charged him with receiving stolen property, selling loose cigarettes and failure to collect sales tax.

Dominguez allegedly paid Mercado and Huelsman $10 and four individual cigarettes for the baby food.

Officers also arrested Mercado and Huelsman, and charged both with conspiracy to commit sixth degree larceny, and Mercado with sixth degree larceny.

According to Milslagle, it's common for items like baby food and cigarettes to be stolen and then taken to be sold to convenince stores around town for resale.