A Denison woman has been ordered to serve probation after agreeing to plead guilty to stealing from New Hope Village clients. Fifty-two-year old Denise Marie Hjuler was charged with three counts of dependent adult abuse, class D felonies, and tampering with records, an aggravated misdemeanor. According to court records, she stole from several residents while working as a caregiver between Aug. 1 and Dec. 26 and later tried to hide the crime by altering the clients’ financial records. In exchange for her guilty plea, prosecutors agreed to drop two counts of dependent adult abuse, and Hjuler was granted a deferred judgment on the remaining felony charge. She was ordered to serve two years on probation to the Iowa Department of Correctional Services and pay $1,046.80 in victim restitution. Upon completion of probation, court records regarding the incident may be expunged.
