A handyman is accused of helping himself to $32,000 from a Villager’s checking account.
Mark Dwayne Guemble, 47, of Lady Lake, is charged with taking the money from a 77-year-old retired Navy veteran who employed Guemble to perform lawn care and handyman work.
Guemble was arrested Wednesday evening on warrants charging him with multiple felony charges following an investigation by the Sumter County Sheriff’s Office. The Lady Lake Police Department assisted in Guemble’s arrest.
The Village of Rio Grande resident discovered in November his checking account had been drained of all but $4.33. The victim’s bank found nearly 50 of his checks, sequentially numbered, made payable to Guemble, and totaling more than $32,000. The checks had been cashed between March and November. The victim later discovered a number of checks had been stolen from his residence, and contacted the Sumter County Sheriff’s Office.
The victim told detectives he had usually paid Guemble in cash. The victim further denied Guemble had done any work which remotely justified payment of more than $32,000.
When taken into custody, Guemble reportedly admitted having fraudulently cashed the victim’s checks, stating he stole them because he was experiencing financial difficulty.
Guemble is facing charges of grand theft from persons 65 or older, fraudulent use of personal ID Information, felony petit theft, and uttering a forged instrument.
Guemble was booked at the Lake County Jail on $32,000 bond.
He is the owner of Guemble’s Equity Tile Inc.
