Mary Jo Pepin PC: Fox 11 Online
APPLETON, WI(WTAQ-WLUK) – Mary Pepin was convicted Thursday in connection with an attempted theft at an Appleton church, and was placed on probation for three years. Three other church-related charges remain pending in Brown County.
Pepin, 67, pleaded no contest to bail jumping. A count of attempted theft of movable property for the February 2023 incident at St. Pius X Church in Appleton was dismissed. She was ordered not to have any contact with the church.
Pepin was free on bond in connection with a De Pere church burglary when the incident in Appleton occurred.
Before the sentence was issued, Pepin said she is seeking counseling. She did not address the allegations themselves.
“I’m trying to do everything that I can to move forward, get this resolved correctly, and put it behind me,” Pepin said.
According to the criminal complaint, a woman in the church spotted Pepin and recognized her from coverage of the Brown County church incidents.
“Mary walked into the parish and sat down in a chair. Mary sat in the chair for a short amount of time before getting up and walking over to some candles that had a locked donations box attached nearby. Mary began attempting to retrieve the cash from the box using a slim wood stick used to light the candles. (The witness) observed this and went into the parish where Mary was. (The witness) believes that when Mary saw (her) it spooked her and she left. (The witness) did not think that Mary was able to successfully retrieve any money,” the complaint states.
Pepin told police when she “lit the candle, she advised that a piece of ash got into the box and she was attempting to put the ash out.”
In Brown County, a Jan. 28 trial is scheduled for a Christmas Day 2022 burglary at a De Pere church, and a November 2022 trespassing incident at a Green Bay church.
According to the criminal complaint, police responded to Our Lady of Lourdes Church in De Pere at about 5 p.m. Christmas Day 2022. Footprints were found, but no one was found in the building. Security video showed images of the same woman believed to be responsible for trespassing incidents on several other dates. She’s charged with burglary and theft.
Pepin also faces a misdemeanor charge for “entry into a building” for a Nov. 12, 2022, incident at St. Philip the Apostle Church in Green Bay.
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