Woman Stole Thousands From Tepa Landscaping: Complaint

JOLIET, IL - A Will County Sheriff's Office investigation into several years of financial transactions at the Tepa Lawn Care & Landscaping business on South Briggs Street has resulted in seven felony charges brought against Robin M. Rodriguez. Her most serious crime is a Class X felony theft. The 49-year-old Joliet woman is accused of stealing several thousand dollars from the company between July 12, 2010, and March 26, 2018, according to court filings.

One of the felony theft charges accuses Rodriguez of obtaining unauthorized control over cash from Tepa Landscaping "having a value exceeding $500,000 and not exceeding $1 million, intending to deprive Tepa Landscaping Inc. permanently of the use or benefit or said property," the complaint states.

Rodriguez, who was taken into custody at the Will County Jail last Thursday, Dec. 27, faces the following seven criminal charges at the Will County Courthouse:

1. Theft, Class X
2. Theft, Class 1
3. Theft, Class 1
4. Theft, Class 3
5. Forgery, Class 3
6. Forgery, Class 3
7. Forgery, Class 3

The forgery charges indicate that Rodriguez illegally issued several Tepa Landscaping checks payable to herself including one for $2,834.12 on Aug. 19, 2017, one from Dec. 22, 2017 for $834.93 and another on April 13, 2017 for $4,671.93.

Tepa Landscaping is located in the 18000 block of South Briggs St. "Since 1990, Tepa Landscaping has built its reputation as the Joliet landscaping and hardscaping company you can rely on," its website notes.

Rodriguez was kept overnight at the Will County Jail last Thursday night, but she got released Friday after posting 10 percent of her $250,000 bail. The defendant has also retained private counsel, the downtown Joliet law firm of Chuck Bretz & Associates.

She lives in the 3900 block of Joliet's Brenton Drive, jail records show.

In the meantime, Joliet Patch has reached out to the Will County Sheriff's Department for more information related to the events surrounding Rodriguez's arrest last week and how the criminal investigation came together.

This story will be updated once more details are known.

Mugshot of Robin Rodriguez via Will County Sheriff