Crocodile captured in Bay County, ex-State Theatre director pleads guilty and more Bay County news

BAY CITY, MI – A Nile crocodile was captured while sunbathing in a Bay County woman’s yard.
Meanwhile, the ex-State Theatre director admitted guilt in a scheme that bankrupted the historic venue.
Those stories and more are included below in this week’s roundup of Bay County stories you may have missed.
Nile crocodile captured sunbathing in Michigan woman’s yard
Police arrested an unusual trespasser they caught lazily sunbathing in a mid-Michigan yard.
Thankfully, the four-legged, scale-covered encroacher didn’t resist by biting the officers with its extended jaws or try spinning them in one of its species’ infamous death rolls.
The suspect, a juvenile Nile crocodile, is no longer in police custody, having been released to a local zoo.
Read the full story here.
Ex-State Theatre director admits guilt in scheme that bankrupted Bay City landmark
Less than a month after he was charged with a federal crime, the former executive director of Bay City’s historic State Theatre has admitted in court to a felonious misuse of funds.
Michael T. “Mike” Bacigalupo, 63, on the afternoon of Tuesday, Sept. 23, appeared in the courtroom of U.S. District Magistrate Judge Patricia T. Morris, kitty-corner from the State Theatre at 913 Washington Ave. The hearing was Bacigalupo’s first appearance before a federal judge since prosecutors charged him with wire fraud on Aug. 27.
Unusual for an initial appearance, Bacigalupo opted to plead guilty as charged to the lone count he faced, a felony punishable by up to 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and five years of supervised release. Morris asked Bacigalupo directly if he was indeed guilty.
Read the full story here.
A Bay City neighborhood’s Halloween tradition is in limbo over permit, insurance requirements
A popular Halloween light display that spans nearly an entire block in Bay City faces a potential shutdown by the city over insurance and permit concerns, disappointing residents who have created what they call a neighborhood tradition.
Matt Aikens, who started the elaborate display that has grown to include 10 houses in the 1700 block of Chilson Avenue about five years ago, said he and his neighbors were disappointed to have received notice from the city that they had until Oct. 3 to remove parts of the display or else they could face a nuisance fee of $100 per day.
“Our complaint is that the city of Bay City is making us take our Halloween lights down that hundreds of kids and families come to see every year,” Aikens wrote in a social media post. “We received a letter this week stating that we broke an ordinance that has to do with encroachment. It’s an ordinance that we didn’t even know existed, and we’ve been doing this for years.”
Read the full story here.
Is the Coolest Thing Made in Michigan from Saginaw or Bay City? Your vote could make it happen.
Three locally-made products are among the second-round finalists for the 2025 Coolest Thing Made in Michigan competition.
A Handcrafted Rock Fountain Kit from Blue Thumb in Saginaw, 5125 V-Mac Vicor+ from Fullerton Tool Co. in Saginaw, and Pioneer Sugar from Michigan Sugar Co. with locations in Bay City, Caro, Croswell and Sebewaing are each among 10 creations vying to become the final three manufactured products in the competition.
The second round of voting began Monday, Sept. 22, and will continue through Oct. 1, allowing residents across the state to select their favorites from 10 diverse nominees that showcase the breadth of Michigan’s manufacturing sector.
Read the full story here.
Sentencing date set for former Bay City theater director who admitted to defrauding nonprofits
The former executive director of two nonprofit groups in Bay City is due back in court early next year for sentencing after pleading guilty to a 20-year felony Tuesday, Sept. 23, in federal court.
Michael “Mike” Bacigalupo, 63, admitted this week to defrauding a pair of local nonprofits of more than $750,000 and pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud.
Federal court records show that Bacigalupo is scheduled to return to the federal courthouse in downtown Bay City on Jan. 29, 2026, for sentencing before District Judge Thomas L. Ludington.
Read the full story here.
Bay City cybersecurity pro faces more charges related to alleged sexual abuse of minors
Over the spring, a Bay City cybersecurity professional was federally indicted on 11 counts related to sex trafficking minors. He’s newly charged on the state level with sexually assaulting a minor himself, acts he allegedly recorded.
Lucas G. Pelletier, 21, on Sept. 19 appeared in Bay County District Court for arraignment on three counts of third-degree criminal sexual conduct with a victim between the ages of 13 and 15 and single counts of first-degree criminal sexual conduct and accosting children for immoral purposes. Both degrees involve penetration. First-degree is a life offense, while third-degree is a 15-year felony.
According to an affidavit authored by a Michigan State Police investigator, Pelletier’s crimes occurred between May 15 and June 30, 2024. A 15-year-old girl, interviewed at the Bay County Child Abuse and Neglect Center, said she met Pelletier online under the name “Zack Stell.”
Read the full story here.