Cedars burglar sentenced for stolen jewelry

Published 10:08 am Friday, December 16, 2011

An Austin man who helped his wife pawn more than $3,500 of jewelry stolen from residents at The Cedars of Austin was sentenced Thursday to a stayed prison sentence.

Dustin Richard Leidall, 30, was sentenced in Mower County District Court to 10 years probation in lieu of the 28-month prison sentence. He was sentenced on a count of being an accessory to second-degree burglary.

His wife, Marissa Marie Tuttle, 22, pleaded guilty to three charges in October. She is scheduled for sentencing in January.

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Along with probation, Leidall will be responsible for restitution on all criminal counts, including four dismissed charges.

According to a court complaint, Tuttle stole jewelry from many residents at The Cedars during her time working as a CNA there. Tuttle reportedly pawned a few of the items, but Leidall sold at least 42 pieces, totaling more than $3,600, between June and July.

Leidall told police he and Tuttle had been pawning jewelry Tuttle had gotten from a “free table” at work. Tuttle admitted to telling Leidall she found the jewelry on a free table. He said he was suspicious but didn’t question her because of money troubles, according to a court complaint.

Tuttle was allegedly carrying five Oxycodone pills and seven Hydrocodone pills at the time of her arrest. More than 100 pieces of jewelry were seized from her vehicle, according to a court complaint.

Police had all of the jewelry appraised at Bendixen Jewelers, where the pieces were determined to be worth at least $6,000. The jewelry was taken from at least five victims, according to a court complaint.