A Home Depot employee has been charged with larceny after investigators alleged he removed merchandise from the sales floor and returned it for store credit, according to a criminal complaint filed in McKinley County Magistrate Court.

Royce Hosteen, 22, of Yatahey, is charged with one count of larceny involving property allegedly valued at more than $2,500 but not more than $20,000. All charges are allegations based on court records, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.

According to the criminal complaint, a Gallup police officer responded to Home Depot at 530 Kachina St. on July 18 after employee Fred Rodriguez requested law enforcement assistance regarding suspected fraudulent returns. The officer later met with Joshua Wiseman, who identified himself as the store’s district asset protection manager and described the company’s internal investigation.

According to court records, the internal investigation began after a no-receipt refund involving a Lincoln wire-feed welder required a manager’s approval. Home Depot investigators alleged surveillance footage showed Hosteen selecting merchandise from the sales floor before returning it at the service desk for store credit.

According to the criminal complaint, Home Depot’s internal investigation identified six transactions between April 27 and July 10, 2026, involving merchandise allegedly removed from the sales floor and returned for store credit. Home Depot investigators reported the alleged loss associated with those transactions totaled $2,683.07.

The transactions allegedly involved two Lincoln wire-feed welders, a Ryobi stick vacuum, a 50-piece impact-rated driving set, a Ryobi impact wrench, a Husky 20-gallon air compressor and four HDX 27-gallon storage totes, according to court records.

The complaint states that, after receiving a Miranda warning, Hosteen told the officer he was struggling after his work hours were cut and that he had other issues involving his vehicle. According to the complaint, Hosteen told officers he accepted responsibility for his actions and said he took merchandise, returned items for store credit and used the resulting store-credit cards to buy merchandise from the store.

According to the complaint, Hosteen also told investigators he had worked at the business since February 2024 as a garden sales associate and was familiar with the store’s no-receipt return process.

Charges Filed

• Larceny involving more than $2,500 but not more than $20,000, contrary to NMSA 1978, Section 30-16-1(E), a third-degree felony.

Case Status

A criminal complaint was filed July 22, 2026, in McKinley County Magistrate Court. The records reviewed by San Juan Pulse did not include a disposition document.