Scott County Sheriff Employee Charged in Mall of America Theft Scheme
BY MN CRIME STAFF
Nickelodeon Universe at the Mall of America in Bloomington
A Scott County Sheriff’s Office employee is charged after prosecutors say he repeatedly exploited a first responder benefit at the Mall of America.
Prosecutors allege he obtained thousands of dollars’ worth of free Nickelodeon Universe wristbands and re-sold them for profit.
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According to the criminal complaint filed Thursday, 30-year-old Gerardo Cerda, of Chaska, is charged with felony theft by swindle in a scheme that unfolded over several months in 2025 at the Mall of America in Bloomington.
Prosecutors allege Cerda used deception and policy loopholes to collect large quantities of free park wristbands intended exclusively for first responders and their guests, then sold those wristbands through Facebook Marketplace.
The Mall of America offers a program allowing first responders to receive two free Nickelodeon Universe wristbands per day, along with Crayola Experience tickets, as a thank-you for their public service. To receive the passes, participants must present valid work identification and employment details. The wristbands are supposed to be placed directly on the wrists of the officer and their guests, are valid only on the day they are issued and are clearly marked as not for re-sale.
Investigators say mall security began looking into Cerda after an employee noticed he appeared at service desks repeatedly over a short period, often accompanied by different people. When confronted by security, Cerda allegedly admitted he was selling the wristbands on Facebook Marketplace and even attempted to recruit the employee into the scheme, an offer she declined.
Records reviewed by investigators show that between Aug. 11 and Nov. 8, 2025, Cerda and another woman obtained 107 Nickelodeon Universe wristbands across 57 transactions on nine separate days, with a total value of $5,616. The complaint notes that during that same 90-day span, all other first responders combined received just 211 wristbands.
The dates and volume of wristbands stood out. On some days, Cerda and the woman collected more than a dozen wristbands each, far exceeding the program’s two-per-day limit. At the time, service desks did not have a centralized system to track how many passes an individual first responder had already collected, a gap investigators say Cerda exploited. Mall officials later corrected that system.
Surveillance video reviewed by investigators showed Cerda and the woman obtaining wristbands under false pretenses on multiple occasions. In some instances, Cerda allegedly used the woman’s identification to collect additional passes. Video also appeared to capture a buyer making a payment to Cerda on a phone during one transaction. While some wristbands were legitimately used for their children, investigators say at least 75 passes, valued at $3,936, were obtained fraudulently during periods where video evidence was available.
Both Cerda and the woman involved were identified as having Scott County credentials. The complaint states Cerda worked for a sheriff’s department in a jail programs unit, while the woman previously worked at the jail.
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Investigators also tied Cerda to Facebook Marketplace listings under the profile name “Gerardo Sierra,” which allegedly featured discounted Nickelodeon Universe wristbands. One listing from Nov. 8, 2025, advertised unlimited ride day passes for $40, with multiple wristbands available. Several similar listings were marked as sold.
On Nov. 8, an undercover Mall of America dispatcher contacted Cerda through Facebook to arrange a purchase. Cerda agreed to meet inside the mall that evening. When a mall security officer approached him at the agreed location, Cerda reportedly acknowledged the situation, telling the officer, “I imagine you know why I’m here.” After being told the re-sale was harming the program for other officers, Cerda allegedly said he would stop. He was trespassed from the mall and left the property. That same evening, the Facebook listing was taken down.
Cerda is charged with felony theft by swindle involving property valued over $5,000, which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison and a $20,000 fine if convicted. He was served with a summons ordering him to appear in court. A warrant may be issued if he fails to appear.
