Dubuque man sentenced for stealing from elderly mother-in-law

A Dubuque man has been sentenced to five years in prison after police said he stole more than $42,000 from his elderly mother-in-law to fund his gambling activities. 55-year-old Shawn W. Small recently received the sentence from in Iowa District Court of Dubuque County after pleading guilty to financial exploitation of an elderly individual. The charge stems from a series of incidents between October 2022 and December 2023 in which court documents state that Small withdrew $42,825 from his mother-in-law’s account and used the money for gambling at a Dubuque casino. Per the sentence, Small also was ordered to pay restitution of $42,825 to his mother-in-law’s estate or heirs.