Caledonia Argus

Wittry sentenced in church theft case

Posted: 8/12/03

Julie Wittry, who pled guilty in July to stealing over $35,000 from St. Maryís Church, has been ordered to serve 90 days in jail and to make full restitution to the church.

On August 6, Judge James Fabian stayed imposition of the sentence for all five felony theft charges to which Wittry pled guilty, and ordered that Wittry be placed on supervised probation for 10 years.

Conditions of probation require Wittry to serve 90 days in jail, which can be completed by serving 18 days in jail and performing 42 days of community service. Wittry was ordered to pay restitution to St. Maryís in the amount of $38,634.65. Of that amount, $9000 is to be paid immediately. The remainder of restitution is to be paid on a schedule in the first nine years of probation.

The probation agreement also requires Wittry to pay a $500 fine, write an apology to the parishioners of St. Maryís Church, and obey all local, state and federal laws.

County attorney Rick Jackson, representing the state of Minnesota, noted that the sentence of which Judge Fabian stayed imposition would likely have been 17 months imprisonment, the amount of stayed prison time dictated by state sentencing guidelines. Seventeen months, then, is the amount of prison time Wittry would likely be sentenced to if she violates probation, Jackson said.

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