Mesa Plumber Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison

PHOENIX - Attorney General Mark Brnovich announced a judge sentenced Michael Duane Mullet to 10 years in prison for stealing from his employer. In January 2017, a jury found Mullet guilty of Fraud and Theft for devising a plumbing fraud scheme to steal more than $16,700 while working at Lawson Family Plumbing.

"Mullet stole thousands of dollars from a small family-owned business by finding a loophole in a computer software program," said Attorney General Mark Brnovich. "Anyone caught stealing from hardworking Arizonans deserves to be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law."

From April to August 2014, Mullet convinced 34 customers to pay him directly for plumbing work.  Mullet then deposited the checks into his bank account. The Mesa Police Department launched an investigation after a concerned customer called Lawson Family Plumbing to report Mullet's suspicious activity.

Detective Fred Bamonte from the Mesa Police Department led the investigation. 

Assistant Attorneys General Kim Ortiz and Nick Klingerman prosecuted the case.