ST. JOSEPH, Mo. — A second defendant in the theft of two exotic monkeys has pleaded guilty to receiving stolen property.

Michael K. Shinkle, 54, pleaded guilty Monday in Buchanan County Court to two counts of receiving stolen property for receiving stolen pigtailed macaque monkeys in 2008.

Shinkle avoided a jury trial set for next week by entering the guilty plea before a circuit judge, who placed Shinkle on two years probation.

His wife, Lisa Shinkle, was found guilty of the same charges last week in a Buchanan County jury trial. Her sentencing is set for Sept. 14.

Prosecutors said the Shinkles were given monkeys that had been stolen from a Jackson County sanctuary in 2007. The two monkeys, named Nicholas and Abby, were recovered in September.
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TWO YEARS PROBATION?!?!?! THAT’S A LITTLE STEEP IF YOU ASK ME. FIRST OF ALL MONKEY’S ARE HILARIOUS AND MORE TEAMS SHOULD HAVE THEM AS THEIR MASCOTS, AS I DOCUMENTED BACK IN JANUARY. SECONDLY, THESE RARE EXOTIC BEASTS DON’T BELONG IN A SANCTUARY, THEY BELONG IN A LOVING HOME. JUST LOOK AT HOW HAPPY LIL’ BEASTIE IS BELOW…..