Cleaner accused of stealing checks, money from firms

A 33-year-old Milwaukee man who worked as part of a cleaning crew at sister companies in Saukville is accused in Ozaukee County Circuit Court of stealing more than $15,000 from the companies by cashing checks stolen from the firms and written to him last month.

Antrell D. Taylor, who has a significant criminal record and is charged as a repeat offender, is accused of cashing seven checks from the companies for a total of $15,738, but authorities believe that at least $70,000 was stolen from the firms during the course of the check-theft scheme, according to a criminal complaint.

Taylor is charged with felony counts of theft and unauthorized use of a business’ information or documents and misdemeanor counts of possession of marijuana, resisting an officer and operating a vehicle with a revoked driver’s license.

The investigation that led to the charges began after an employee of Engineered Exhaust Systems and Expert Engineering Solutions, sister companies that operate out of the same facility on Dekora Woods Boulevard in Saukville, reported that on May 27 she was notified of an unauthorized transaction relating to an Engineered Exhaust Systems check written to a man other than Taylor for $15,000. The check, which was not authorized by the company, appeared to be signed by an employee of the firm, but the signature was fraudulent, the complaint states.

Authorities subsequently learned that about 50 checks had been stolen from the company and 13 of them cashed.

Det. Eric Ramthun of the Saukville Police Department was told by an employee that the cleaning crew would have access to the office where checks were kept.

Surveillance video showed two men who were part of the cleaning crew enter the company’s building on May 23 and May 27. The video from May 27 showed Taylor join the other man in a bathroom and the recording captured muffled audio of the men discussing checks Taylor stole from the office, the complaint states.

A hidden camera was placed in the office and checks that were documented and photographed were planted in a drawer. Video from May 30 showed a male and female cleaner arrive at the businesses and the man take the checks that were left in the drawer, according to the complaint.

Police officers and Ozaukee County sheriff’s deputies were watching the building at the time and stopped the man and woman shortly after they drove away from the businesses in separate cars.

The woman’s car was searched but nothing of interest was found.

The other car was driven by Taylor, but Taylor gave the officer an identification card that belonged to his brother. Ramthun realized that Taylor was not his brother and confirmed his identity by asking to see the tattoos on his arm, which are part of law enforcement’s description of Taylor. Taylor then admitted to providing false information, the complaint states.

Authorities searched Taylor’s car and found the planted checks from Exhaust Engineering Solutions, according to the complaint.

Taylor admitted to being at the businesses and said the man seen cleaning with him on May 23 and May 27 was his brother. When asked about the checks found in his car and the hidden camera video, Taylor ended the interview, the complaint states.

While searching Taylor, an officer found a substance Taylor admitted was marijuana.

Taylor’s driver’s license was revoked for six months in 2015 because of an operating while intoxicated conviction and indefinitely in 2018 for failure to comply with a court-ordered safety plan.

If Taylor is convicted of the crimes he is charged with, he will face enhanced penalties because of his status as a repeat offender. In October 2020, he was convicted in Milwaukee County Circuit Court of endangering safety by the use of a dangerous weapon, four counts of first-degree recklessly endangering safety with the use of a dangerous weapon and intimidation of a witness, all felonies. He was sentenced to four years in prison and four years of extended supervision.

During a June 2 hearing in Ozaukee County Circuit Court, Judge Steve Cain set bail for Taylor at $10,000 and ordered him not to have contact with Engineered Exhaust Systems, Expert Engineering Solutions or their employees.