WEDNESDAY, APRIL 1, 2026, 2:21 p.m.
GREEN BAY, Wis. (WFRV) – A Bonduel man accused of embezzling over $275,000 in a scheme with his wife appeared in court on March 31.
Court records show that 56-year-old John Petcka was in court with his attorney as multiple future hearings were scheduled.
Petcka is set for a status conference at 8:30 a.m. on August 18, with a final pre-trial hearing on October 30, 2026, at 2:30 p.m. The three-day jury trial is set for November 3-5 at 8:15 a.m.
Plea/sentencing hearing scheduled for Bonduel man accused of embezzling $275K
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 7, 2026, 8:51 a.m.
GREEN BAY, Wis. (WFRV) – The Bonduel man accused of embezzling over $275,000 with his wife was in court on January 5 for yet another status conference.
Court records show that 55-year-old John Petcka was in court with his attorney. The present bond of $10,000 was continued.
Petcka is scheduled to be back in court at 2:45 p.m. on March 31 for a plea/sentencing hearing.
Bonduel man accused of embezzling $275K set for status conference following New Year’s Day
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 3, 2025, 1:16 P.M.
GREEN BAY, Wis. (WFRV) – The Bonduel man accused of embezzling over $275,000 with his wife was in court on September 30 for another status conference.
Court records show that 55-year-old John Petcka was in court with his attorney. The present bond of $10,000 was continued.
A status conference was set for after New Year’s, with a 4 p.m. court date on January 5, 2026.
Bonduel man accused of embezzling $275K set for status conference in September
WEDNESDAY JUNE 11, 2025, 11:11 A.M.
GREEN BAY, Wis. (WFRV) – The Bonduel man who faces several charges relating to alleged embezzlement of over $275,000 with his wife was in court on Tuesday for another status conference.
Court records show that 55-year-old John Petcka’s attorney was with him as the present bond was continued.
Another status conference is set for later this year on September 30 at 3:45 p.m.
Bonduel man accused of embezzling $275K appears in court
TUESDAY, MARCH 18, 2025, 12:28 P.M.
GREEN BAY, Wis. (WFRV) — A 55-year-old Bonduel man accused of embezzling more than $275,000 with his wife during his time at a contracting company appeared in court on Monday for a status conference.
Court records show that John Petcka appeared in court with an attorney and had the present bond continued.
Petcka is scheduled to be back in court for another status conference at 2:30 p.m. on June 10.
FRIDAY, MARCH 7, 2025, 2:10 P.M.
GREEN BAY, Wis. (WFRV) — A 55-year-old Bonduel man accused of embezzling more than $275,000 with his wife during his time at a contracting company appeared for a notice hearing on Thursday.
Court records show that John Petcka has another status conference scheduled for March 17 at 3:15 p.m.
Petcka faces one count of theft from a business setting greater than $100,000 and eight counts of identity theft to obtain money or credit, all felony charges.
No further details were provided.
UPDATE: Bonduel man accused of embezzling $275,000 attends status conference
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 18, 2024, 9:45 P.M.
(WFRV) — A Bonduel man accused of embezzling over $275,000 with his wife during his time at a contracting company appeared for a status conference on December 13, 2024.
Court records show that 55-year-old John Petcka and his attorney appeared before Brown County Judge Timothy Hinkfuss, where another status conference was scheduled.
Petcka is set to return to court on March 7, 2025, at 3:15 p.m.
Local 5 News will continue to follow this case as it progresses through the court system.
UPDATE: Bonduel man accused of embezzling over $275k has arraignment hearing
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 15, 2024, 5:20 p.m.
(WFRV) – The Bonduel man who is accused of embezzling over $275,000 with his wife while employed at a contracting company had his arraignment hearing on Tuesday.
Court records show that 54-year-old John Petcka was in court with his attorney at the Brown County Courthouse.
The present bond was continued, as a status conference has been set for Dec. 13 at 9:45 a.m.
UPDATE: Bonduel man accused of embezzling over $275k with his wife set to be arraigned
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 14, 2024, 9:00 p.m.
(WFRV) – A Bonduel man accused of embezzling over $275,000 with his wife while working for a contracting company made a court appearance on Tuesday.
Wisconsin Circuit Court records show that 54-year-old John Petcka appeared in the Brown County Courthouse, where his arraignment was scheduled for mid-October.
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John Petcka will be arraigned on October 15 at 4:00 p.m. As for his wife, Deborah Petcka, she had previously pleaded not guilty to her charges and is set for a two-day jury trial on September 18 and 19.
Local 5 News will continue to provide updates and follow these cases as they progress through the court system.
Married couple accused of embezzling over $275k make court appearances, both waive preliminary hearings
Friday, 05/31/24, 2:20 p.m.
(WFRV) – A married couple from Bonduel who is accused of embezzling over $275,000 from a contracting company while the husband worked there have since made individual court appearances.
Court records show that both John Petcka and Deborah Petcka have waived their preliminary hearings and have had arraignment dates set.
Deborah had her signature bond set at $5,000 on April 29 and waived her preliminary hearing during a May 21 court appearance. She is due back in court on June 25 for an arraignment.
John waived his preliminary hearing on May 30 and is due back in court on August 1 for an arraignment.
Local 5 will continue to update this story as new information is obtained.
Married couple accused of embezzling over $275k while the husband worked at Hobart contracting company
Monday, 04/29/24, 4:54 p.m.
(WFRV) – A married couple from Bonduel was officially charged after allegedly embezzling over $275,000 from a contracting company while the husband worked there.
According to a criminal complaint obtained by Local 5, 54-year-old John Petcka and his wife 54-year-old Deborah Petcka have been charged in an apparent embezzlement scheme. Back in December of 2022, authorities were notified of an embezzlement complaint from the owners of a contracting company in Hobart.
An investigation reportedly showed that a total of 404 checks were issued by then-employee John Petcka. These checks were drawn on the company bank account between November 2017 and October 2022.
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The checks reportedly totaled $275,650.96. The complaint alleges that all of these checks were unauthorized. The complaint says that John’s wife, Deborah, was listed on QuickBooks for cashing checks. This allegedly indicated that she was cashing checks at Menards.
Authorities spoke with the business owners who said John was hired as an office manager in 2017. John reportedly did payroll expenses and was later terminated in February of 2023.
The complaint says that John had a signature stamp of the owner’s signature. The owners told authorities that John was never permitted to buy anything for personal use.
It is alleged that John issued 65 unauthorized checks to himself totaling $128.813.32. One of the checks was reportedly for $30,000. Additionally, one check was issued to a car dealership for $26,000.
This check was reportedly for a truck. The complaint also claims that there was a check issued for the purchase of a personal off-road vehicle for $5,913.
John is also accused of issuing 113 unauthorized checks to Menards that totaled $32,201.37.
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Three unauthorized checks totaling $2,306.10 were issued by John to Deborah. The complaint says that she never worked or contracted for the company.
Below is a breakdown of the charges the two are facing:
- John Petcka
- Felony Theft – Business Setting Over $100,000
- Felony
- Up to 12 and a half years in prison
- Unauthorized use of an Entity’s Identifying Information or Documents
- Felony
- Up to six years in prison
- Unauthorized use of an Entity’s Identifying Information or Documents
- Felony
- Up to six years in prison
- Unauthorized use of an Entity’s Identifying Information or Documents
- Felony
- Up to six years in prison
- Unauthorized use of an Entity’s Identifying Information or Documents
- Felony
- Up to six years in prison
- Unauthorized use of an Entity’s Identifying Information or Documents
- Felony
- Up to six years in prison
- Unauthorized use of an Entity’s Identifying Information or Documents
- Felony
- Up to six years in prison
- Unauthorized use of an Entity’s Identifying Information or Documents
- Felony
- Up to six years in prison
- Unauthorized use of an Entity’s Identifying Information or Documents
- Felony
- Up to six years in prison
- Felony Theft – Business Setting Over $100,000
- Deborah Petcka
- Theft-Business Setting Over $100,000 (Party to a Crime)
- Felony
- Identity Theft – Obtain Money or Credit
- Felony
- Theft-Business Setting Over $100,000 (Party to a Crime)
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Court records show that John’s last court appearance was on April 29, where he had his signature bond set at $10,000 and is scheduled to be back in court on May 30 for a preliminary hearing.
Deborah had her signature bond set at $5,000 on April 29 and waived her preliminary hearing during a May 21 court appearance. She is due back in court on June 25 for an arraignment.
The two were told to not discuss the case with each other, according to court records.
Local 5 will continue to update this story as the case moves forward.
