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The Villages
Tuesday, March 19, 2024

Handyman to escape time behind bars after stealing more than $40,000 from pair of Villagers

A handyman who stole more than $40,000 from a pair of Villagers will escape additional time behind bars in the two cases.

Mark Dwayne Guemble
Mark Dwayne Guemble

Mark Dwayne Guemble, 47, of Lady Lake, had been arrested in January after he helped himself to $32,000 from the checking account of a a 77-year-old retired Navy veteran who employed Guemble to perform lawn care and handyman work. The Village of Rio Grande resident contacted law enforcement after he discovered his checking account had been drained down to $4.33. When taken into custody, Guemble admitted having fraudulently cashed the victim’s checks, stating he stole them because he was experiencing financial difficulty.

A second case was discovered after Guemble’s first arrest. In the second case, Guemble was suspected of taking more than $10,000 from a 78-year-old Villager who lives in Lake County. The theft is believed to have occurred between March 1, and Nov. 3, 2016.

Last week in Sumter County Court, Guemble entered a plea of no contest in the Village of Rio Grande case. He was placed on probation for five years.

He had earlier pleaded no contest in the Lake County case. He was placed on probation and ordered to make restitution to the victim in the  amount of $8,625.

Guemble had spent about two months behind bars in the Sumter County Detention Center following his first arrest on Jan. 5.

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