St. Paul woman enters Alford plea for Maplewood dognapping

MAPLEWOOD, Minn. — A St. Paul woman who stole a family's dog from their front porch in Maplewood last year entered an Alford plea in court on Tuesday.

Chanessa Gipson, 35, entered the plea for one count of theft for taking a 3-year-old French Bulldog named Pablo from his home on the morning of May 9, 2023. An Alford plea allows a defendant to accept a plea bargain while maintaining their innocence.

In December, Christopher Brigham was sentenced to 21 months in prison for his role in the theft.

Surveillance video of the theft shows Gipson walking up the front steps and knocking on the door before taking the dog.

Two days later, charging documents say that Brigham contacted Pablo's owner on Facebook. He said he had her dog and would not return it unless she paid him $500.

When she asked to meet to exchange the dog for money, Brigham stopped replying.

Pablo's owner later received a call telling her that Brigham had stolen Pablo and that he and a woman scout out dogs who look lost and sell them for profit or sell them back to the owners for a reward or finder's fee.

Investigators were able to contact Brigham and warned him if he did not return the dog that same day, he would face criminal charges.

Gipson's sentencing is scheduled for Sept. 17.

Note: The video above originally aired on May 19, 2023.