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Iowa man won’t face jail time in Michigan WWII museum theft case

News

January 30th, 2020 by Ric Hanson

MUSKEGON, Mi (AP)- An Iowa man accused of stealing several artifacts from a western Michigan museum that’s housed on a World War II-era warship, has pleaded guilty to trespassing and won’t face any jail time. Sixty-two-year-old John Zaputil had been charged with felony theft for allegedly taking about a dozen items, including medals and lapel pins, from the USS LST 393 Veterans Museum in Muskegon last August. But The Muskegon Chronicle reports that he pleaded guilty Wednesday to trespassing, a misdemeanor. Zaputil’s plea states that won’t face jail time when he’s sentenced March 25. All of the stolen items have been returned.

Zaputil is a licensed osteopathic physician in Michigan and a licensed anesthesiologist in Iowa, according to the states’ records. He previously worked for the University of Iowa. Zaputil was identified by a number of medical professionals from the hospital, who saw surveillance video and photos in news reports.