Gassville man admits to stealing more than $120,000 from employers, gets prison time

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Photo: Robert “Bob” Wyble

A Gassville man who pled guilty to stealing about $126,000 from two former employers has been sentenced to 15 years in prison with five suspended and 10 to serve. The sentence came during a session of Baxter County Circuit Court Thursday.

In November last year, 52-year-old Robert “Bob” Wyble entered guilty pleas to charges in Baxter and Marion counties stemming from the thefts, and a sentencing hearing in both cases was set for Thursday. The cases were continued to give Wyble an opportunity to work and repay the victims.

Wyble was accused of taking about $108,000 from Sleep Mart in Mountain Home, where he was in charge of the store’s financials at the time the thefts were discovered.

During an interview with investigators Wyble admitted creating false documents and turning them into the company for reimbursement. He also reportedly forged 63 checks.

The thefts took place from January 2015 through the end of May 2018, when he was fired, according to the probable cause affidavit.

After hearing reports on Wyble’s arrest on the Baxter County theft charges, a Bull Shoals business owner came to law enforcement and said she believed Wyble may have stolen thousands of dollars while in her employ.

The employer was setting up a new business at the time and had written checks to Wyble to pay for items to be used in the venture.

She told law enforcement she had also reimbursed Wyble for purchases he claimed were made for the business on his debit card. According to the probable cause affidavit in the Marion County case, the thefts took place in a period beginning in July 2017 and running through April 2018.

A total of almost $18,000 had been taken.

When Bull Shoals police questioned Wyble, he admitted he had stolen money from the victim without delivering any of the goods or services he claimed he purchased for the business.

Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Kerry Chism said victims in the Baxter County case had been waiting for months, and Wyble was not making any progress in paying back the money he admitted stealing. Wyble’s attorney, Mark Cooper, told the court the only way his client could repay the victims would be to stay out of prison so he could work.

It was reported he had made some headway in paying back the victim in Marion County.

Victims of the thefts in Baxter County were in the courtroom Thursday and made emotional statements prior to sentence being pronounced. One victim said Wyble had been a trusted employee and had broken that relationship in a major way. “We treated him well and this is how he repaid us. It has effected us both financially and emotionally.” Another said Wyble had been a “friend” and it was devastating when his thefts came to light.

The victim said Wyble was given a chance to repay the money before charges were even brought, but we got nothing for two years.

Circuit Judge John Putman asked Wyble, “What in the world did you do with all that money?” Wyble stumbled somewhat in formulating an answer. He told the court the money went for “things like living expenses, personal expenses.” Wyble started a story about plans he had to buy the Mountain Home business, but ended his comments by saying, “It’s a long story, but there are two sides.”

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