Crime & Safety
Oak Creek Woman Pleads Not Guilty in Senior Center Theft Charges
Deborah J. Nowakowski, 56, will stand trial on 22 counts of theft for allegedly bilking a Pewaukee senior living facility out of thousands while she was employed there.
A 56-year-old Oak Creek woman accused of stealing thousands of dollars from a senior living facility in Pewaukee has pleaded not guilty to the crimes.
Deborah J. Nowakowski appeared Friday in Waukesha County Circuit Court, where she was bound over for trial on one count of theft of more than $10,000 from a business and 21 counts of identity theft for financial gain.
According to the criminal complaint:
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In 2009, an administrator at Cecelia Place, a Pewaukee assisted-living facility where Nowakowski worked as the manager, noticed thousands of dollars in unauthorized purchases.
Some of the purchases included baby clothes, alcohol and gift cards. Nowakowski said the baby clothes were used for dolls at the facility and the gift cards and alcohol were used as prizes for games.
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Police executed a search warrant in April 2010 on Nowakowski's home. They found gift cards, receipts for gift cards, vacuum cleaners, carpet cleaners, animal traps, a pizza oven, refrigerator, slow cooker, Nintendo Wii games and hundreds of food items stocked in the basement.
Nowakowski lived in the home with two other employees, who police suspect may have aided in the thefts.
According to court documents, Nowakowski purchased $61,650 worth of items at Milwaukee County stores and $20,242 from Waukesha County stores.
The two roommates purchased $31,038 in goods from Milwaukee County stores and $11,774 from Waukesha County stores.
Nowakowski faces up to 136 years in prison and $235,000 in fines if she's convicted of all 22 charges.
