Woman pleads guilty to theft

CELINA - A Celina woman received a suspended sentence of 720 days in jail after pleading guilty to four first-degree misdemeanor petty theft charges.

Across two separate cases, Angela L. Bruggeman, 33, pleaded guilty to four petty theft charges, two of which had been amended from fourth-degree felony grand theft and fifth-degree felony theft charges.

As part of a plea bargain, more than 38 other charges, including fourth-degree felony charges of safecracking and grand theft; a fifth-degree felony breaking and entering; 34 charges of fifth-degree felony forgery; and a fourth-degree misdemeanor charge of criminal trespass, were dropped.

Bruggeman was sentenced to 180 days in jail for each of the four petty theft charges, for a total of 720 days in jail. Her jail time was suspended on the condition she not commit any crimes for the next two years, pay $15,000 in restitution and also pay her court costs and assigned counsel fees by Nov. 13.

The charges resulted from a Celina Police Department investigation begun at the request of Christopher T. Wendel. Bruggeman reportedly was an employee of Wendel's at Wendel Financial Group, Celina's Country Music Authority and Christopher T. Wendel Enterprises. Some of Bruggeman's duties reportedly included handling payroll and day-to-day expenses. She is accused of using her position to embezzle more than $22,000 from Wendel, according to a news release.

In a separate indictment, Bruggeman was charged with safecracking and criminal trespass, fourth-degree felonies, as well as breaking and entering and theft, fifth-degree felonies. The charges stemmed from a Nov. 11 incident at Boots 'n Bourbon, operated by Celina's Country Music Authority. Bruggeman is accused of entering the establishment during non-business hours, gaining access to the safe and taking about $1,200.