GRANTS PASS, Ore. — No turning the cheek for Michael Redondo.
Facing time for stealing a computer from a Grants Pass, Ore., church during worship service, Michael P. Redondo, 29, found out from the judge that the church wasn’t in a forgive-and-forget mood.
The church wrote a letter to the court supporting a year in prison, Josephine Circuit Court Judge Lindi Baker told the defendant, adding, “That’s pretty telling, for a pastor to write that.”
Redondo, who previously inflicted community-wide pain in the summer of 2012 when he stole from at least 10 businesses and individuals, told the court he was sorry.
“I want to apologize to the community,” he told the court after he was asked if he had anything to say.
At the time of the 2012 thefts, Redondo was something of a poster child for cutbacks in public safety that compelled police to cite and release offenders, because the 262-bed county jail housed only 30 local inmates.
On Dec. 1, Redondo was already out of prison and on parole when he swiped the church laptop from the pastor’s office at First Christian Church on Southwest H St.
According to a police report, he had been in the church sanctuary, but then drifted out and was seen leaving the church office with a computer bag. Police used a photo lineup to show to witnesses and he was arrested a few days later.
Earlier this week, Redondo pleaded guilty to a charge of first-degree theft.
Baker sentenced him Thursday to 20 days custody, although defense attorney Victory Walker said he was going back to prison, evidently for violating parole in the earlier cases. He had been in an unspecified program while on parole.
Redondo told the judge he’ll be back in prison for about five or six months. Baker ordered two years of probation and $1,200 compensation to the church, once he’s out.
“I’m going to expect you’re going to perform on probation,” she told him. “I want this victim repaid.”
