Former Ashley employee sentenced

A former Ashley Home Furniture Store employee was sentenced last week to one year in prison for his role in thefts from the Portales store.

Darius Vonschriltz, 30, of Portales, pleaded guilty to larceny and receiving stolen property, both felonies.

"The charges stem from a time between June of 2019 and March of 2020, in which Darius Vonschriltz stole furniture and home décor," according to a news release from the district attorney's office.

Records show Vonschriltz stole over $100,000 in property from the store. Approximately $60,000 worth of Ashley furniture was located in the home and storage unit of Darius and Kekoa Vonschriltz, police said.

Kekoa Vonschriltz, an Eastern New Mexico University police officer at the time of the theft, was sentenced to five years of probation in June of 2021 for possessing the stolen property in the couple's home and storage unit.

Darius Vonschriltz' attorney, Dan Lindsey, said his client was facing up to 25 years in prison.

"The judge (Jared Kullunki of Chaves County) was very lenient," Lindsey said. "He (Darius Vonschriltz) was a first-time offender, never in trouble in his life before."

Lindsey also said his client paid $5,000 in restitution.