Theft charge against Broward County assistant state attorney will be dropped

Charge will be dropped upon completion of 'theft course'

AVENTURA, Fla. – A petit theft charge will be dropped against a veteran Broward County assistant state attorney who was arrested in September on accusations that she shoplifted makeup from a Publix store.

According to a closeout memo released Tuesday, Stacey Honowitz has no prior record and was offered a pretrial diversion, which included taking a "theft course." 

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The state will drop the charge against Honowitz once she completes the course.

According to Aventura police, Honowitz was captured on surveillance video Sept. 15 stealing cosmetics from the Publix on Biscayne Boulevard. 

Jayne Weintraub, her attorney, said Honowitz made an "honest mistake" when security personnel stopped her with $42.93 in cosmetics in her purse and called police officers. 

Weintraub said in September that the footage vindicated her client.

"After reviewing the video it confirms what we have said. She put the lipstick and mascara in her purse and intended to pay and forgot," Weintraub said. "Had she put it in the cart, it would have fallen through cracks of the cart. She had every intention of paying and simply forgot."

Honowitz is a 30-year veteran of the Broward County state attorney's office and serves as supervisor of the sex crimes and child abuse unit, according to her website. She is the author of two books on child molestation.
 


About the Author:

Amanda Batchelor is the Digital Executive Producer for Local10.com.