St. Paul: Priest Wants to Seal Record of His Indecent Exposure Case

By Emily Gurnon
Pioneer Press
October 20, 2012

www.twincities.com/localnews/ci_21819223/st-paul-priest-wants-seal-record-his-indecent

A priest who resigned from his church post after his arrest for indecent exposure in a St. Paul park has asked a court to seal his record.

Michael John Krenik's misdemeanor conviction was dismissed in November 2011 upon the successful completion of his probation.

Krenik, 54, of St. Paul, petitioned Ramsey County District Judge Teresa Warner on Oct. 5 for an expungement of his criminal file. If the judge grants his request at the Jan. 23 hearing, the record will be sealed from public view.

Krenik was the pastor at St. Hubert Catholic Community in Chanhassen at the time of his Nov. 4, 2010, arrest. At 1:20 p.m. that day, he exposed himself to a police officer at the river flats near Eustis Street and Mississippi River Boulevard, just north of the Marshall Avenue-Lake Street bridge.

He pleaded guilty. At his January 2011 plea hearing, he said, "I'm truly sorry for what I've done and grateful to be in treatment at this time," according to a court transcript.

Several other men also were arrested in the police sting that day. Police have conducted regular sweeps of that area, as well as Crosby Park, because of lewd acts in public there.

At the time of Krenik's resignation from St. Hubert, a spokesman for the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis said he would be restricted from all public ministry until the case was resolved.

Jim Accurso, current spokesman for the archdiocese, said Saturday that it had a "long-standing matter of policy" not to comment on personnel matters.

It was not clear whether Krenik was back in active ministry.

Krenik's attorney did not respond to a call Saturday evening.

Contact: egurnon@pioneerpress.comtwincities.com