NAPERVILLE MAN GETS FOUR YEARS IN THEFT FROM FORMER EMPLOYER

WHEATON – DuPage County State’s Attorney Joe Birkett today announced that Emmanuel Reyes, 48 (d.o.b. 6/19/59), 1332 Culpepper Drive, Naperville, was sentenced to four years in the Illinois Department of Corrections for stealing nearly $60,0000 from his former employer, Collaborative Learning, Inc. of Westmont.  On July 17, 2007, Reyes entered a plea of guilty to one count of Theft in Excess of $10,000 in front of Judge Perry Thompson.  This morning Reyes accepted the State’s offer of four years.     

             Today’s sentencing is the result of allegations that from March 2006 through January 2007, Reyes, the former Chief Operating Officer at Collaborative Learning, Inc. stole $59,000 through a number of schemes.  Reyes created fake vendors from whom he would submit fake invoices for services rendered.  He would then either have checks written to the fake vendor that he would cash, or through deception, convince the recipient of the check to give him cash.  In addition, Reyes also received unauthorized pay and made unauthorized purchases with the company’s credit card.  The theft was uncovered by company officials who immediately contacted the Westmont Police Department.

             “Today’s sentencing sends a strong message of deterrence that white collar crime will not be tolerated in DuPage County,” commented Birkett.  “Because of his own greed, Mr. Reyes will spend the next chapter of his life locked behind bars.  I would like to thank the staff at Collaborative Learning, the Westmont Police Department and Assistant State’s Attorney Ken Tatarelis for their work in putting an end to Mr. Reyes’ schemes.”

Reyes must also serve 2 years parole and pay full restitution to Collaborative Learning, Inc.

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