55-year-old Deborah Nowakowski reaches plea deal to avoid trial

OAK CREEK (WITI) -- 55-year-old Deborah Nowakowski of Oak Creek on Tuesday, January 29th reached a plea deal to avoid going to trial. Nowakowski has been charged with stealing thousands of dollars while managing a senior living center in Pewaukee.

Nowakowski pleaded no contest to theft from a business setting of greater than $10,000. 

21 counts of identity theft to obtain money or credit were dismissed but will be read into the record for the judge to consider when sentencing Nowakowski.

From toys to toaster ovens, the Pewaukee police search warrant pictures number in the hundreds. The items officers found were from Walmart, The Dollar Tree, and Target — all allegedly bought with a credit card or checks belonging to Cecelia Place.

“Anything from gift cards, to alcohol, to food that they wouldn’t serve at the facility like lobster and steak. There was a gun case that was purchased that the facility wouldn’t have use for,” Pewaukee Detective Craig Drummy said.

The criminal complaint says Nowakowski gave the senior home’s credit card and checks to her roommates, her mother and her daughter. All three worked at Cecelia Place, and police say all three allegedly signed to buy items for their home.

The criminal complaint says the owner of the facility noticed food bills for the assisted living center had skyrocketed, and that’s when he started looking closer at the books.

Police say they found shelves of food stored in the women’s basement.

Sentencing and restitution hearings for Nowakowski are set for early April.