A San Francisco jury on July 1, 2026, convicted Andre Meredith, 37, on two counts arising from a retail theft incident: petty theft with two or more prior theft convictions under Penal Code section 666.1(a)/488, and commercial shoplifting under Penal Code section 459.5(a) [1]. The jury also found true the allegation that Meredith had accumulated two prior theft convictions, in 2023 and 2024 respectively, and was serving a term of probation at the time of the charged offense [1]. The case proceeded in San Francisco County Superior Court under California's standard felony trial framework.
The verdict turns on Proposition 36, the November 2024 ballot measure that reinstated felony-level charges for repeat theft offenders, reversing key provisions of Proposition 47 [1]. Under the prior regime, many serial shoplifters faced misdemeanor exposure regardless of their record. With Proposition 36 in effect, prosecutors could charge Meredith's conduct as a wobbler elevated by his prior convictions, giving the jury the opportunity to return the felony-equivalent finding it did.
District Attorney Brooke Jenkins cited the verdict as an example of Proposition 36 operating as intended, holding prolific shoplifters to a higher standard of accountability [1]. Sentencing is scheduled for July 17, 2026 [1]. The prior conviction findings and the active-probation allegation are likely to factor in the court's sentencing calculus, though the specific range available to the judge was not detailed in the sources available.
No post-trial motions or appeal filings were reported as of the verdict date.