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Business Owner Gives Woman ‘Second Chance,’ Says She Stole From Him

CLINTON TOWNSHIP — Dan Droppa has owned Aldenville Log and Lumber in Wayne County for a decade, but he says what’s happened to him is one of the wor...
jeannie brooks

CLINTON TOWNSHIP -- Dan Droppa has owned Aldenville Log and Lumber in Wayne County for a decade, but he says what's happened to him is one of the worst things he's ever experienced.

"It's just a hard, miserable thing to go through, but it had to be done."

Jeannie Brooks of Prompton is charged with stealing more than $23,000 from Droppa's company during the time two-and-a-half years she worked there.

"I blame myself, but she was so clever in doing the books and everything else. The accountant didn't catch it. No one caught it,” said Droppa.

According to investigators, Brooks made out checks to herself, pocketing money and lying about paying the company's bills and taxes.

Droppa says the theft was discovered in February when Brooks took time off and Droppa checked into things, discovering discrepancies.

He and investigators believe Brooks likely stole much more than $23,000, and more charges will likely be filed.

“When you don't pay your sales tax and you don't pay your federal tax and you don't pay your unemployment tax, they just multiply these things astronomically, so we've had to retain attorneys to handle this and that,” said Droppa.

Droppa says what makes this so hard to bear is the fact that he knew Brooks' past. She was charged and served time for stealing from the Wayne County Tax Claim Office when she worked there.

Her husband worked at Droppa's company, and Droppa decided to give her a second chance.

“When she came out of jail, she needed a place to work. I know she could answer the phones and do book work and so we brought her on, and over time she developed our trust,” said Droppa.

With so many financial messes to clean up, Droppa says things are difficult with the company, but he says he and his family will keep working,.

"We had 5 employees and now we're down to two, myself and Logan, but you know with the Lord's help, you know everything will work out. You just have to keep moving on," explained Droppa.

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