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Salem man ordered to repay $11K stolen from victim

LISBON — A Salem man was placed on community control and ordered to help repay $11,000 from an elderly man in December of 2019.

Dylan M. Kuzemchak, 22, Southeast Boulevard, pleaded guilty in November to grand theft, a fourth-degree felony.

Judge Megan Bickerton pointed out Kuzemchak had stolen a significant amount of money and then attempted to lie his way out of it. She asked Kuzemchak to explain why she should not send him to prison. Assistant County Prosecutor Alec Beech was recommending a six-month prison term.

“I made a mistake,” he said.

“A mistake that could lead to 18 months in prison,” Bickerton said.

Kuzemchak recounted the story of the money being stolen, noting the people he stole from had accepted him into their home and let him sleep on their couch.

“If you were in a pinch, I’ll bet they would have given you money if you asked for it,” Bickerton said. Kuzemchak agreed with her statement.

He said he offered to work for Terry Roudebush to repay him the money, which was taken from a safe, but Roudebush declined the offer.

Bickerton told him she could understand if the victim did not want him to come work for him because he does not trust him. She suggested he was going to have to work hard to regain people’s trust.

Kuzemchak’s defense attorney, James Wise, described him as a diligent young man who should have known better and lost his job over this. He has since found another job, is reportedly working 40-some hours a week, and Wise said he will be making a substantial amount of restitution.

Kuzemchak and his co-defendant in the case, Brentlee Wade Wilson, are both required to combine to repay the $11,000 stolen. Kuzemchak was placed on three years community control and ordered to begin making a $300 monthly payment.

djohnson@mojonews.com

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