Illinois Woman Pleads Not Guilty to Embezzlement >$500k

Update Feb 2026 -- Ms. Gutierrez has now been charged federally for this alleged crime.  This will result in the state charges she was facing being vacated, and also dramatically increases the potential punishment.  

Reporting now puts the amount stolen in excess of $900,000

Original story:

COLES COUNTY, Ill. (WCIA) — A former employee charged with stealing over $500,000 from a dental office in Mattoon appeared in court on Monday and entered a plea of not guilty.

The charges, filed by the Coles County State’s Attorney’s Office under case # 2025CF509, allege that 49-year-old Rebecca S. Gutierrez of Charleston, Illinois, stole money from Hastings and Havlik Family Dentistry between June, 2020 and September, 2025. The total amount stolen was estimated to be between $500,000 and $1,000,000.

In court on Monday, Gutierrez pleaded not guilty and requested a jury trial.

Gutierrez first appeared in court for a detention hearing on Oct. 1 and was granted pre-trial release with the condition that she surrenders her passport. Gutierrez was also ordered against liquidating any funds contained within a 401k, retirement or similar account.

WCIA reached out to Hastings and Havlik Family Dentistry in Mattoon for a statement.

“Earlier this fall we were made aware that a former employee had been stealing money from one of our doctors over several years. We quickly terminated her employment. We look forward to letting the justice system take care of this situation. We remain committed to providing comprehensive dental care to our community as our families have done for over fifty years,” Myles J. Hastings, DMD, said in a statement sent to WCIA.

Guiterrez is scheduled to appear in court again in 2026

WCIA reached out to Guiterrez’s attorney for comment, but did not immediately receive a response back.

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Content retrieved from: https://www.wandtv.com/news/crime/woman-pleads-not-guilty-for-stealing-over-500-000-for-coles-co-dentist/article_ebc1dcc6-c61e-47fd-af43-6b52d0732b54.html