L-R: Cory Schmitz, Michael Thorpe and Beau Wastel (Photos courtesy Outagamie County Sheriff's Office)
APPLETON, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) — One of the suspects behind a robbery at a Grand Chute coin store where another man walked in wearing a wig and dress before hitting an employee with a pipe wrench and leaving the store with merchandise was sentenced Thursday to eight years in prison.
Cory Schmitz, 36, was convicted of being party to armed robbery, with four other counts dismissed. He was also placed on extended supervision for eight years by Judge Carrie Schneider. Schmitz must contribute to the shared restitution of $28,190.94.
Before the sentence was issued, Schmitz apologized for his actions. He said he would try to use the prison time to improve his life “as best as possible.”
Schmitz is currently housed at Redgranite Correctional Institution after being sentenced for eluding an officer and meth possession in separate Outagamie County cases. This sentence is consecutive to those cases.
Previously, Beau Wastel — who committed the robbery at Affordable Rare Coins — was sentenced to 18 years in prison. Michael Thorpe was sentenced to 16 years in prison for his role in the crime.
According to criminal complaints, Wastel walked into Affordable Rare Coins on Aug. 10, 2024. He allegedly asked to see a baseball card in a case, and when the employee bent over to open the case, prosecutors say Wastel hit him in the head with the wrench. The employee ran out of the store and Wastel ran after him, continuing to swing the wrench at him.
Surveillance video showed Wastel then going back into the store, smashing a display case and running out with property from the case.
After police issued a news release, they say several tips led them to Wastel. In an interview, Wastel said that Cory Schmitz introduced him to Michael Thorpe. Thorpe “told Wastel he had a ‘lick’ that was going to be easy and they would get approximately $15,000,” according to the criminal complaint. Thorpe and Wastel agreed to split the proceeds, prosecutors say. Schmitz allegedly received a few coins for introducing Wastel and Thorpe to each other.
Thorpe told police he pawned his coins, using a fake ID and received $300.
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