Staff Report

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Authorities have charged Angel Luis Nicot-Cardoza, aged 31, and Yorlan Nordelo-Martinez, aged 44, both Cuban nationals residing in Tampa, with grand theft following a September 2025 incident at a Gainesville Ulta Beauty store. The duo has been linked to a series of thefts at Ulta Beauty locations across Florida and Georgia, cumulatively valued at over $5,000.

On September 6, 2025, at approximately 11:04 a.m., the two men entered the Ulta Beauty store located in the Oaks Square shopping plaza on 6843 W. Newberry Road. Nordelo-Martinez is accused of hiding a Jimmy Choo fragrance tester in his shorts. Both men then allegedly pocketed seven additional fragrance testers from another section of the store. Before exiting, Nicot-Cardoza reportedly concealed a Gucci fragrance tester in his shorts. The men allegedly departed without paying for the items, which were worth a total of $1,391.

A Gainesville Police Department officer investigating the case discovered that these individuals had previously been involved in five similar thefts at Ulta Beauty stores in both Florida and Georgia. The total loss from these incidents amounted to $5,054.

The officer utilized surveillance footage to identify the suspects and confirmed their identities through their recently issued Florida driver’s licenses. It was noted that both men are Cuban citizens residing in the U.S. on work visas, sharing an apartment complex in Tampa.

Sworn complaints were filed for both defendants, charging them with grand theft, and warrants were issued in September 2025.

Nicot-Cardoza was arrested in Hillsborough County in October 2025 and was transferred to the Alachua County Jail on January 16. He has one felony conviction and one misdemeanor conviction (both non-violent) in Florida, along with a pending grand theft case in Lake County and an active warrant out of Georgia. Judge Susan Miller-Jones set bail at $100,000, and he is still in the Alachua County Jail.

Nordelo-Martinez was arrested in Tampa in October 2025 and booked into the Alachua County Jail on October 22, 2025. He has no criminal history in Florida, but he had active warrants at the time from Lake County, two other counties in Florida, and Georgia. He entered a plea of nolo contendere to grand theft on January 8, and Judge James Colaw sentenced him to 79 days in jail with credit for 79 days served, followed by two years of probation.

Articles about arrests are based on reports from law enforcement agencies. The charges listed are taken from the arrest report and/or court records and are only accusations. All suspects are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.