Originally charged with Felony Burglary, Jon Paquette has been sentenced in Barron County Circuit Court on amended charges of 4 Counts of Misdemeanor Theft.
Public record indicates that on August 8, 2017, Paquette appeared in Barron County Circuit Court for a sentencing hearing. The Court received Victim Impact Statements from 3 victims in Paquette's case. The Court ordered a withheld sentence of 90 days jail time on 1 of the Counts of Misdemeanor Theft, with credit for 12 ½ days already served. On each of the 4 Counts of Misdemeanor Theft, the Court ordered 3 years of probation to be served concurrently with each other under the supervision of the Department of Corrections, Probation, and Parole.
Paquette's charges stem from an investigation in October 2016, in which Paquette admitted to multiple break-ins during which he stole prescription pain pills from residents in both Barron County and Washburn County. During the course of the investigation, law enforcement obtained and reviewed video footage which showed Paquette using a crowbar to pry open a door on one of the residences which he broke into.
According to the original press release from the Barron County Sheriff's Office, Paquette was targeting homes belonging to church members of the church which he formerly pastored, and breaking into them when he knew the individuals would not be at home.
Paquette was also ordered by Barron County Circuit Court to pay restitution to the victims of his case and complete 100 hours of community service. The Court further ordered that he is to have no contact with any of the victims in his case or with the Trinity Lutheran Church in Birchwood. Public record shows that the Court ordered Paquette to complete any and all evaluations, counseling, treatment and follow-up ordered by Probation and Parole and maintain absolute sobriety.
According to public record, Paquette was also charged criminally in Washburn County Circuit Court in 2 separate cases. Those cases show offense dates in August of 2016.
One charge of Misdemeanor Theft was dismissed in May 2017, but read-in for consideration in Paquette's sentence. In the second Washburn County Case, Paquette was charged with Misdemeanor Criminal Trespass to Dwelling. In May 2017, he plead guilty to that charge and received an imposed and stayed sentence of 9 months of jail and 1 year of probation. Paquette was also ordered to write letters of apology to the victims of his Washburn County cases.
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Birchwood Pastor Charged with Felony Burglary of Prescription Medication
Tuesday, November 22, 2016 | By Ben Dryden
Jon Paquette, pastor of the Trinity Lutheran Church in Birchwood, WI has been charged in Barron County Circuit Court with felony burglary. According to documents received via public records request, Paquette was identified as a suspect in a report of a break-in and theft of prescription pain medication in Rice Lake, WI.
Barron County Sheriff's Department investigators responded to a complaint of a break-in on October 26th, 2016. The victims advised the investigators that their home had been broken into approximately one month earlier and they had installed a camera on their driveway as a result.
On October 26th, the victims returned home in the evening after being away all day and noticed a door on the residence was broken. Barron Sheriff's Department investigators observed that the door had visible pry marks along the door jamb and that the bolt from the door knob was broken. The victim reviewed the footage from their outdoor camera with the investigators and identified the individual as their pastor, Jon Paquette.
Paquette was observed entering the property with what appeared to be a flat style crowbar. The victim advised investigators that the only item missing was a pill bottle containing his prescription for oxycodone.
A search warrant was obtained for Jon Paquette's residence and vehicle and the pry bar was located along with a pill bottle matching the description of the missing medication given by the victim of the break-in.
Paquette was placed under arrest and interviewed by Barron County Sheriff's Department investigators. During the interview, Paquette confessed to the break-in and admitted to taking the prescription pills. Paquette also admitted to the earlier break-in of the same residence, stating he did not locate any medication that time. Paquette also admitted to breaking into at least 3 other residences with the intent of finding prescription pain medications, and stated that he did take hydrocodone pills from one of those other break-ins.
Paquette has been placed under a $5,000 signature bail bond and is due back in Barron County Circuit Court on January 13th, 2017.
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Birchwood Pastor Arrested On Burglary Charges
Friday, October 28, 2016 | Barron County Sheriff's Dept. Press Release
On Thursday, October 27, 2016, the Barron County Sheriff’s Department served a search warrant at 117 E Park Avenue in the Village of Birchwood and took Jon Paquette, 56 of this address, into custody.
Mr. Paquette is the Pastor at Trinity Lutheran Church in Birchwood and is currently being held in the Barron County Jail on Burglary charges.
While this investigation is ongoing, it appears that Mr. Paquette was targeting the homes of church members while they were not home, burglarizing them and taking prescription medications.
At this time this case remains under investigation while we determine the number of houses where this has occurred.
Per Chris Fitzgerald, Barron County Sheriff
Last Update: Aug 08, 2017 8:21 pm CDT
