FM woman gets up to 10 years for embezzlement

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BY CHUCK VANDENBERG

PCC EDITOR

FORT MADISON - A Fort Madison woman has been sentenced to up to 10 years in prison for embezzling more than $70,000 from a local chiropractor's office.

Danylle L. Weiler, 48, of Chariton, was sentenced Friday morning by Eighth District Judge Michael Schilling to an indeterminate number of years in prison not to exceed 10 after Weiler pled guilty to a first-degree theft.

Assistant Lee County Attorney Ross Braden, who prosecuted the case, said the judge sentenced Weiler according to the penalties allowed by law. However, Braden said he was not arguing for prison time for Weiler.

'I wouldn't say I was shocked by the sentence," Braden said Friday afternoon. The facts and circumstances of the case justified the sentencing. But I didn't argue for that."

The case was scheduled for trial on three separate occasions in March, June, and August, but Braden said Weiler chose to plead guilty to the Class C Felony first-degree theft instead of going to trial, in exchange for the state not asking for prison time, but a suspended sentence and restitution.

Braden said the defense was asking for a deferred judgment but the state argued strongly against that motion.

"I didn't ask for prison time because of her lack of criminal past, but I didn't think a deferred judgement was appropriate either."

Weiler's sentence was to begin immediately at Iowa Correctional Institute for Women in Mitchellville. She was facing five counts of theft in the crime, which occurred over a five-year time frame, according to a release that came from Fort Madison police when Weiler was charged in November. The release said she worked for the chiropractor for 15 years total.

She was originally charged with three counts of first-degree theft and two counts of 2nd-degree theft and faced close to 40 years in prison if convicted on all counts.

Weiler was represented by Johnathan Stensvaag of Burlington.

embezzlement, fort madison, Johnathan Stensvaag, Judge Michael Schilling, Lee County Attorney, North Lee County Courthouse, Pen City Current, Ross Braden, Weiler

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