Mary Ellen Wilson, a former office manager at Gentle Family Dentistry in New Berlin, was sentenced to 3 years in prison for stealing over $350,000 from the dental practice. Her [tag]prison[/tag] term will be followed by 5 years on extended supervision and 20 years of probation.

Wilson, 56, pleaded guilty to 5 counts of theft for stealing the money from her employer over a period of 5 years. Police were contacted by the clinic on April 19, 2005 with a report that a significant embezzlement had occurred, and the perpetrator had confessed that morning. The clinic operator was suspicious when the IRS contacted the dental practice to inquire about unpaid payroll taxes since 2000.

The theft scheme involved Wilson cutting checks to herself rather than making tax payments. In addition, she stole cash from the dental office. Wilson used the money for gambling, travel, clothing, and home furnishings. She said at the sentencing hearing that she was truly sorry and :

“My stealing from Gentle Family Dentistry has touched many lives. I have disgraced myself and embarrassed my family. I should have thought about all of this before I started stealing.”