Dominique Armistead (Leslie Wilbert not pictured)
ELM GROVE, Wis. - Two people are accused of stealing two rings worth a combined $35,000 from an elderly resident at an assisted living facility in Elm Grove, and then selling the rings.
Prosecutors allege Dominique Armistead, a 40-year-old Milwaukee woman, stole the two rings, and Leslie Wilbert, a 56-year-old Milwaukee man, sold them to a pawn shop.
Armistead has been charged with one count of theft of movable property ($10,000 - $100,000) and Wilbert has been charged with one felony count of receiving stolen property (more than $10,000). A "crime against an elderly or disabled person" modifier was added to both charges as well.
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Case details
What we know:
According to a criminal complaint, in November 2025, Elm Grove police were called to the assisted living facility for a report of a theft. The 96-year-old resident's relatives said that two of her [the resident's] rings were stolen.
Police interviewed staff and learned that the victim lives in the memory care wing of the building, which is locked.
Staff searched the facility and eventually found the jewelry box in another resident's room, but the rings were missing from the box. Officers noted that the box weighed between 20–30 lbs, and it was unlikely a resident took it there.
Police also learned from one of the woman's relatives that the night before, they were with the woman when an aide came in to put her to bed. The aide said that her jewelry needed to be removed before bed, which no other aide had done prior. The jewelry was placed in the jewelry box, which was placed in the bathroom. This made the relative feel uneasy.
One ring was appraised at about $30,000, and the other ring was valued at about $5,000.
Aide identified as Armistead
What we know:
The complaint goes on to say that after talking with staff, police identified the aide who put the woman to bed that night as Dominique Armistead, who was hired just a few weeks prior. Staff also tried to contact Armistead about the incident, but Armistead had since quit and would not come in to speak about the incident.
A records check showed Armistead was a suspect in similar incidents in Waukesha and Port Washington, according to court filings.
Digital evidence
What we know:
The complaint goes on to say that police executed a search warrant on Armistead's email address and phone records, and learned that around the time of the theft, Armistead downloaded a jewelry identifier app. There was also a photo on her iCloud that showed a ring consistent with one of the rings that was stolen.
There were several Google searches for diamonds, 14k gold rings, cash 4 gold, and pawn shops. There were Google Lens searches for rings similar to the ones stolen.
The cell phone also made several communications to a cell tower near the pawn shop the rings would ultimately be sold to. The phone also received marketing text messages from the pawn shop.
Franklin theft of memory care patient; Oak Creek man accused
A 52-year-old Oak Creek man is accused of stealing from a patient at a Franklin memory care facility where he worked.
Leslie Wilbert
What we know:
When searching Armistead's phone, police also found a video of a conversation between her and a person who was labeled as "Lyin Les Les" in the phone, per the complaint. That person was identified as the other defendant, Leslie Wilbert, who threatened to report Armistead to her job over an unspecified incident. There were several phone calls made between the two around the time the rings were sold.
Jewelry found
What we know:
In December, police found a transaction at the Milwaukee pawn shop, made by Wilbert, that involved two rings similar to the ones stolen. The pawn shop had detailed transaction records and showed both rings were sold for a total of $1,700.
Police showed the photos of the rings from the pawn shop to the family of the resident, who confirmed those were the stolen rings. Both rings were logged into evidence.
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Court proceedings
What we know:
Dominique Armistead had her initial appearance in Waukesha County Circuit Court on Feb. 11, where a signature bond was set at $7,500. She also cannot work as a CNA or at a facility where the sole purpose is to take care of the elderly. Her preliminary hearing is scheduled for March 18.
Leslie Wilbert is out of custody and an arrest warrant has been issued.
The Source: Information in this report comes from the criminal complaint, provided by the Waukesha County District Attorney's Office, and court records.