MONROE - An Arkansas man who relocated to Monroe to work at Schulz Automotive was sentenced last week on convictions that he fleeced the machine shop and its customers out of thousands of dollars.
Abiga James Terrell, 29, pleaded guilty April 30 in Green County Circuit Court to a string of felony and misdemeanor theft charges from 2013 and 2014. Most are related to his job as Schulz Automotive's machine shop manager. He's also convicted of stealing a $500 Xbox from a roommate.
Terrell is sentenced to six months in jail, with Huber work-release privileges. He'll also be on probation for three years.
As part of a plea agreement, he is ordered to pay $10,000 in restitution and not drink or take unprescribed medications.
His jail sentence begins Friday.
Victim-impact statements filed with the court paint Terrell as a chronic liar and skilled manipulator with a drug problem.
"He lied continually," one victim wrote, and "told me to commit suicide via Facebook, knowing that I struggle with depression."
The most condemning statements come from Schulz Automotive's Marc Blanc and his sister ThelmaRose Gerrits, who wrote that their trust in Terrell was "greatly misguided." The business has been family-run in the Monroe area for 60 years.
"We thought there was great potential in A.J. We helped him relocate from Arkansas to Wisconsin, and secured housing for him," they wrote.
Instead of fulfilling that potential, they say Terrell's "lies, manipulation and grand scheme started from the beginning."
"Terrell had wild mood swings and extreme volatile behavior. He would be calm in the morning and then would disappear for long lunch periods, then return with dark circles around his eyes and a different, negative mood later," they wrote.
It was "apparent he was misusing prescription Oxycodone, if not other substances."
Terrell preyed on Schulz Automotive's customers, particularly on older men in declining health or of retirement age, Blanc and Gerrits wrote. He would convince "typically older, but very trusting men" to pay for repair parts and services, then not do the work and pocket the money for himself.
"Terrell is a master of deception, lies and manipulation," they wrote. He also made "radical comments" and references to guns that made them fear for their safety and the safety of their family.
Terrell's actions took a large financial toll on the business. "Many, many hours and weeks (were) spent dealing with the messes and confusion caused by his thefts," they wrote.
"This crime makes us hesitant to continue the business of our machine shop. Our good reputation has been significantly tainted by Terrell."
Abiga James Terrell, 29, pleaded guilty April 30 in Green County Circuit Court to a string of felony and misdemeanor theft charges from 2013 and 2014. Most are related to his job as Schulz Automotive's machine shop manager. He's also convicted of stealing a $500 Xbox from a roommate.
Terrell is sentenced to six months in jail, with Huber work-release privileges. He'll also be on probation for three years.
As part of a plea agreement, he is ordered to pay $10,000 in restitution and not drink or take unprescribed medications.
His jail sentence begins Friday.
Victim-impact statements filed with the court paint Terrell as a chronic liar and skilled manipulator with a drug problem.
"He lied continually," one victim wrote, and "told me to commit suicide via Facebook, knowing that I struggle with depression."
The most condemning statements come from Schulz Automotive's Marc Blanc and his sister ThelmaRose Gerrits, who wrote that their trust in Terrell was "greatly misguided." The business has been family-run in the Monroe area for 60 years.
"We thought there was great potential in A.J. We helped him relocate from Arkansas to Wisconsin, and secured housing for him," they wrote.
Instead of fulfilling that potential, they say Terrell's "lies, manipulation and grand scheme started from the beginning."
"Terrell had wild mood swings and extreme volatile behavior. He would be calm in the morning and then would disappear for long lunch periods, then return with dark circles around his eyes and a different, negative mood later," they wrote.
It was "apparent he was misusing prescription Oxycodone, if not other substances."
Terrell preyed on Schulz Automotive's customers, particularly on older men in declining health or of retirement age, Blanc and Gerrits wrote. He would convince "typically older, but very trusting men" to pay for repair parts and services, then not do the work and pocket the money for himself.
"Terrell is a master of deception, lies and manipulation," they wrote. He also made "radical comments" and references to guns that made them fear for their safety and the safety of their family.
Terrell's actions took a large financial toll on the business. "Many, many hours and weeks (were) spent dealing with the messes and confusion caused by his thefts," they wrote.
"This crime makes us hesitant to continue the business of our machine shop. Our good reputation has been significantly tainted by Terrell."