According to a Dalton Police Department incident report, On February 13th, 2023, at 6:35 PM, Officer McBrayer responded to 815 Shugart Road, the Walmart, in reference to a shoplifting in progress. Officer McBrayer arrived on the scene and met with the loss prevention associate, who stated there was a male and a female actively concealing items in the store. He stated that the male was currently in the restroom at the back of the store and that he was wearing a brown jacket with blue jeans. He then showed the officer the female, in this case, Samantha Michelle Waters, 33, of Trenton, GA, who was wearing a black in color dress and cowboy boots. Officer McBrayer reported, “While he was explaining that she had been seen concealing items, [I] watched her conceal items in her purse. She then made her way to the front of the store, purchased a couple of items, and then ran back to the rear of the store. This was quite odd that she was running a full sprint through the store. While she was doing this, the male, Tanner Ryan Lusk, 29, of Lookout Mountain, had emerged from the restroom carrying an item in his hand. He walked around the store frantically trying to find Waters, and they ultimately met up in the shoe department in the rear of the store. While [I] was watching them walk around the store, the associate showed me the video of Lusk concealing items in the front of his pants. He can be seen placing several packages of items in the front of his pants. When Lusk meets up with Waters, he hands the item he was carrying to Waters, who eventually conceals the item in her purse. Lusk then returns to the restroom for several more minutes. She then selects a pair of children’s shoes, removes the tag, and places another cheaper price tag on the shoes. After Waters does this, she makes her way back to the registers in the front of the store.” Officer Mcbrayer then made contact with Waters and escorted her to the loss prevention office, where he advised her she was under arrest. Lusk then attempted to flee the store without making any attempt to make a purchase. Officer Warren made contact with him and brought him into the loss prevention office as well. Officers located a pack of socks, animal food, an animal food bowl, and super glue that was stolen by the Waters. Items that were located on Lusk were several packages of Pokemon cards. The total of all items shoplifted was $104.97. Waters showed in Walmart’s system as being previously banned from Walmart after being caught shoplifting in Tennessee. Officer Warren located a meth pipe and meth on Lusk. He then stated that the jacket the meth was found in was not his. Officers then located pressed fentanyl pills on Lusk. Waters immediately advised officers of the fentanyl and stated she did’t want them or anyone to get hurt. Lusk was found to have a felony active warrant through Hamilton County, Tennessee. Lusk was booked into the Whitfield County Jail, charged with fugitive from justice, possessional of fentanyl, possession of meth, possession of tools for the commission of a crime, theft by shoplifting, and guard line violation. Waters was booked into the Whitfield County Jail, charged with possessional of fentanyl, possession of meth, possession of tools for the commission of a crime, theft by shoplifting, and guard line violation.
Dade County pair found with fentanyl and meth after shoplifting from Dalton Walmart
