Employee must pay $80,000 in restitution to store
Published 3:15 pm Saturday, April 4, 2015
Daniel Mielke, who was once an employee of Butler Truax Jewelers, entered a guilty plea Tuesday, March 31, admitting to stealing thousands of dollars worth of watch parts and other merchandise from the downtown Selma store, and was ordered to pay $80,000 in restitution.
Mielke was arrested in May 2013 and charged with felony first-degree theft of property.
“It is already difficult enough for a lot of these businesses to prosper and survive, and it is definitely difficult when someone who you trust and someone you have worked with is secretly stealing from your business for so long,” said Elliot Lipinsky, assistant district attorney.
According to Doris Truax, owner of the jewelry store, Mielke was collecting money for jewelry repairs and keeping it for himself. He was also stealing parts and other items from the store during the time of his employment.
Mielke’s wife, Yvonne, was also arrested for taking part in the theft. She entered a guilty plea deal for third-degree theft of property.
Daniel Mielke’s plea deal included a suspended sentence of 12 years in prison with five years of probation.
Part of the deal Daniel signed Wednesday was to pay $80,000 worth of restitution to Doris Truax, owner of the jewelry store. The deal also included paying court costs and bond fees, completing 100 hours of community service and writing an apology letter.
According to Lipinsky, Daniel paid $30,000 of that total amount of restitution owed Wednesday after entering the guilty plea deal.
Yvonne’s deal included a one year suspended sentence with two years of probation. She will also be held liable for paying the rest of the money owed to Butler Truax Jewelers.
Lipinsky said as long as Miekle continues to make payments on the $50,000 that he still owes, he will not have to serve the 12-year sentence.
“If he misses a payment or something like that, or he doesn’t pay the $50,000 back, then he is going to serve 12 years in prison,” Lipinsky said.
Lipinsky said he was satisfied with the deal, and he hopes the restitution will restore the business’ losses.
“We hope it will restore their good name and make sure that white collar crime like this doesn’t happen in Selma,” Lipinsky said. “People think that white collar crime is not that big of a deal, but I think that this proves that it is a big deal, and I am committed to making sure Selma retains some of its historical charm and keeping its businesses.”
Truax said the theft and aftermath has been a difficult time.
“It’s been a sad time for my business, employees and family that have been affected by this,” Truax said. “It’s really sad he and his wife could do something that caused so much damage and continued doing it over a span of years to a family that treated him so well.”
Truax also thanked Lipinsky and the district attorney’s office for their work.
“Elliot did a great job. I’m pleased that he was willing to work so hard for some justice in this case,” Truax said.