MONROE - A Belleville woman accused of embezzling more than $850,000 from the New Glarus Home had a plea of not guilty entered on her behalf Tuesday.
Joyce Ziehli, 55, stood mute in Green County Circuit Court to charges of six Class G felony counts of theft in a business setting over $10,000. She worked at the home for 31 years and had most recently held the position of administrative secretary. Court records allege she stole the funds over a 10-year period from 2003 to 2013.
District Attorney Gary Luhman said the state is willing to drop 2003 from the first count, which lumped together the years from 2003 to 2007. Defense attorney Robert Duxstad said he will file a brief before Ziehli's motion hearing on Sept. 18 to dismiss all of count one. He alleges that there is insufficient evidence to keep the first count in the charges as the case heads towards trial. Duxstad said a decision about whether or not to dismiss the first count is necessary before moving on.
A Department of Criminal Investigations agent, as well as police and a forensic accountant, compiled Ziehli's personal bank records from the 2003 on, during their investigation. Court records allege that Ziehli took money out of a resident account at the home and deposited it into her personal accounts or paid off credit card bills. She did so by allegedly writing checks out to cash or in her own name and approving them with a stamp of her former boss's signature.
Ziehli's bond continues, requiring her to have no contact with the New Glarus Home or its campus and not to leave Wisconsin without court permission. If convicted for the maximum penalty for her six counts, Ziehli could face up to $150,000 in fines or 60 years in prison or both. She has a motion hearing on Sept. 18.
Joyce Ziehli, 55, stood mute in Green County Circuit Court to charges of six Class G felony counts of theft in a business setting over $10,000. She worked at the home for 31 years and had most recently held the position of administrative secretary. Court records allege she stole the funds over a 10-year period from 2003 to 2013.
District Attorney Gary Luhman said the state is willing to drop 2003 from the first count, which lumped together the years from 2003 to 2007. Defense attorney Robert Duxstad said he will file a brief before Ziehli's motion hearing on Sept. 18 to dismiss all of count one. He alleges that there is insufficient evidence to keep the first count in the charges as the case heads towards trial. Duxstad said a decision about whether or not to dismiss the first count is necessary before moving on.
A Department of Criminal Investigations agent, as well as police and a forensic accountant, compiled Ziehli's personal bank records from the 2003 on, during their investigation. Court records allege that Ziehli took money out of a resident account at the home and deposited it into her personal accounts or paid off credit card bills. She did so by allegedly writing checks out to cash or in her own name and approving them with a stamp of her former boss's signature.
Ziehli's bond continues, requiring her to have no contact with the New Glarus Home or its campus and not to leave Wisconsin without court permission. If convicted for the maximum penalty for her six counts, Ziehli could face up to $150,000 in fines or 60 years in prison or both. She has a motion hearing on Sept. 18.