A Waldorf man faces 30 criminal charges after allegedly stealing nearly $39,000 from a Target shop where he worked as a team leader. According to court records filed in Charles County District Court, surveillance cameras captured the alleged thefts over several months.
Nicholas Owen Patton, 45, of Waldorf, was arrested on May 16, 2025, after loss prevention personnel at Target’s Western Parkway location in Waldorf reported a pattern of cash thefts associated with Patton’s shifts as closing team leader. Target management checked staff schedules and surveillance footage before notifying law enforcement.
According to officials, Patton was caught on at least 20 occasions entering the store’s secure cash office after final payments had been made for the day. In each case, he was seen squatting in front of the safe, hiding its contents with his body, and then adjusting his waistline or pockets before leaving the office and clocking out.
The thefts started as early as February 21, 2025, with a reported $1,773 missing the next morning. In the following weeks, stolen sums ranged from $642 to as much as $2,363 in one instance. The majority of the stolen currency was in $50 and $100 denominations.
By the end of April, Target’s internal audit had determined a total loss of $38,920 from its Waldorf site. Patton was the only employee with access and opportunity on all relevant dates, investigators say.
On May 16, 2025, law enforcement executed a search warrant for Patton’s person, vehicle, and residence. Authorities apprehended Patton in the Target parking lot, placed him under arrest, and transported him to the Charles County Sheriff’s Office for interrogation.
During the arrest, authorities found $6,150 in cash in Patton’s jeans. Authorities seized an additional $25,014 from a safe inside Patton’s house. After being read his Miranda rights, Patton originally refused to speak but subsequently admitted to taking up to $300,000 from the store, citing personal troubles.
Patton has been charged with one count of stealing a plan involving $25,000 to $100,000, a felony punishable by up to ten years in prison and a $15,000 fine. He also faces eight counts of felony theft ranging from $1,500 to $25,000 (each punishable by up to five years and a $10,000 fine) and 21 counts of misdemeanor theft under $1,500 (each punishable by up to six months in jail and a $500 fine).
He was released on his recognizance after his first appearance. A trial is planned for July 23, 2025, in Charles County District Court.
