BOCA RATON, FL (Boca Post) (Copyright © 2025) — Boca Raton Police say a former Dunkin’ employee is accused of trying to take cash from a store register after returning to the business and attempting to go behind the counter, according to a probable cause affidavit.
The incident was reported at a Dunkin’ location at 21200 St. Andrews Blvd., where officers responded to a call about a theft on Sept. 12, 2025, at about 6:42 p.m., the report states.
When police arrived, an employee identified in the report as Mekhi Sanders described an encounter with an ex-employee, later identified as James Dillan Maiello, 23. Sanders told police Maiello showed up at the store claiming the company had shorted him on his last paycheck. Sanders said Maiello had been fired, but continued returning to the business, and staff knew him to walk behind the counter to make drinks for himself.
Sanders told police that on the day of the incident, Maiello again tried to go behind the counter. Sanders stepped in front of him to block him, but then moved aside because he believed Maiello was only trying to make a drink and Sanders wanted to avoid escalating the situation, the affidavit states.
Instead, Sanders told police Maiello walked directly to the cash register, entered a code to open it, and began removing cash. The report specifies a $20 bill. Sanders said he intervened and grabbed Maiello’s hand, and the two got into a physical struggle.
Sanders told police he was able to remove Maiello from behind the counter and pin him to the ground. He said he did that to stop Maiello from harming another employee or taking money from the register, according to the report. During the struggle, Sanders said Maiello tried to grab his legs in an effort to take him to the ground but didn’t succeed.
After a short period, Sanders released him. Maiello gathered his belongings and left the store, the affidavit states.
Police also interviewed another employee, Justina Parrino, who they said witnessed what happened. Parrino told police Maiello had been terminated about a week earlier, and that he had shown up to work intoxicated. Since being fired, she told officers, Maiello had returned to the business and harassed staff.
Parrino’s account largely tracked Sanders’ description: she told police Maiello arrived and immediately tried to go behind the counter, Sanders blocked him, and Maiello went around him to the register. Parrino said Maiello entered the code, opened the register, and began taking cash, and that a physical altercation followed when Sanders intervened.
During the struggle, Parrino told police she was able to retrieve the cash from the floor after Maiello let go of it. Sanders and Maiello disengaged, and Maiello left the store, the report states.
The affidavit says both Sanders and Parrino provided sworn statements.
After interviewing the employees, the reporting officer said he reviewed video footage of the incident. According to the affidavit, the footage showed Maiello enter the business, approach the counter, and then move toward the register after Sanders tried to stop him. The report states the video showed Maiello opening the register by entering a code and removing cash before Sanders stepped in. The footage did not capture the entire struggle, the officer wrote, but it did show Maiello attempting to grab Sanders’ legs, then Sanders taking Maiello to the ground and holding him briefly before letting go. The footage then showed Maiello collecting his belongings and leaving.
Based on the sworn statements, video evidence, and surrounding circumstances, police said they developed probable cause to charge Maiello with attempted robbery under Florida statutes listed in the report, and that a warrant would be filed with the Palm Beach State Attorney’s Office.
The arrest paperwork lists the charge as attempted robbery and describes the property involved as money valued at $20. The documents also indicate no photo was available at the time of the report.
Boca Post tracks ongoing police activity in and around Boca Raton, including arrests and investigations, on our dedicated police activity page.
Now that’s a real hero, because he didn’t stop to think of anything except protecting the business that employed him. Any company should be proud to hire such a person.