Daycare Director Chapman Jailed for $296K Theft

DAVENPORT, Iowa – Mindy L. Chapman, 56, of Dewitt, Iowa, is trading lullabies for lockdown. The former director of a local daycare was sentenced to 20 months in federal prison Monday, June 17, 2024, after admitting to pilfering nearly $300,000 from the organization she was entrusted to lead.

Court documents paint a picture of a two-decade-long scheme. Chapman, who ran the daycare for approximately 20 years, didn’t just mismanage funds – she treated the daycare account like her personal piggy bank. Investigators uncovered evidence of rampant personal purchases made with the daycare’s credit cards, a blatant disregard for financial responsibility. But it didn’t stop there.

Chapman allegedly funneled daycare money directly into paying her personal credit card bills, effectively using federal funds earmarked for childcare to cover her own debts. As if that wasn’t enough, she also significantly inflated her own salary, lining her pockets at the expense of the children and families the daycare was meant to serve.

The scale of the theft is staggering. U.S. Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa announced Chapman was ordered to pay $296,801.50 in restitution. While a hefty sum, it barely begins to cover the damage done to the daycare’s reputation and the potential impact on the children it served.

Don’t expect Chapman to walk free after serving her time. Following her 20-month sentence, she’ll be subject to three years of supervised release. And for those hoping for parole, forget it – there’s no such thing in the federal system. She’ll be under the watchful eye of federal authorities for years to come.

The investigation, a joint effort by the DeWitt Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, serves as a stark reminder that even seemingly local crimes can carry significant federal penalties. This case proves that stealing from programs designed to help children will not be tolerated.