Sac News Anchor Quits Over Shoplighting Charges

Sabrina Rodriguez

A popular Sacramento news anchor has resigned from her post at FOX40 over allegations that she conspired to steal hundreds of thousands of dollars in luxury goods with her fiancé, who was recently arrested for manufacturing drugs, according to media reports and her Twitter account.

Sabrina Rodriguez, 31, had been at FOX40 since 2011 after stints in Bakersfield, Oregon and on the East Coast. The Bay Area native racked up prestigious honors, including multiple Emmy Awards and an award for investigative journalism from the Associated Press in 2008, according to the Sacramento Bee.

Rodriguez, though, was arrested last week on charges of orchestrating an extensive shoplifting plot with her fiancé Nicholas Gray, the Sacramento News and Review reported.

Court records and police reports obtained by Sacramento media outlets detail an alleged plan by the couple to shoplift high-end luxury items to sell on the black market.

I am sad to say I've decided to resign from FOX40 to concentrate on my case and re-establish my good name. Thank you for all the support.
— Sabrina Rodriguez (@SabrinaLunaRod) August 5, 2014

According to data obtained from a cell phone seized from Gray, the couple allegedly drove from Vacaville to San Francisco in January 2013 to fence a number of stolen sneakers and wallets. Police said the phone contained a picture of Rodriguez holding up a pair of Nike AirMaxs that still had the security tag attached.

The next month, Gray allegedly texted Rodriguez, telling her he had shoplifted about $3,000 worth of cashmere sweaters.

“I got rent,” the purported text said.