U.P. man apppointed to state Crime Victim Services Commission

LANSING, Mich. – Gov. Rick Snyder appointed Brian Peppler, of Sault Ste. Marie, and Emily McIntyre, of Clarkston, to serve on the Michigan Crime Victim Services Commission for three-year terms.

The commission oversees the Crime Victim Compensation Program, which helps pay out-of-pocket medical expenses, grief counseling, lost earnings, funeral bills and crime scene clean-up to eligible crime victims who suffered from a physical injury. The commission also oversees Victim Rights grants, which fund victim advocates throughout the state and the Michigan Crime Notification Network. It also manages the federally-funded Victims of Crime Assistance grants, which go to statewide programs that support victims of domestic violence, child abuse, sexual assault and underserved victims of crime.

“Brian and Emily have provided decades of service to supporting the rights of crime victims and I appreciate their willingness to serve the state of Michigan on this important commission,” Snyder said.

Peppler will represent county prosecuting attorneys and Democrats and replaces Kym Worthy. He is the Chippewa County prosecuting attorney and previously served as an assistant public defender, chief public defender, and assistant prosecuting attorney in Sault Ste. Marie. He is a past president of the Prosecuting Attorneys Association of Michigan and is a board member for Michigan’s Fight Crime, and Invest in Kids, and serves on the Michigan Task Force on Sexual Assaults. Peppler has a bachelor’s and law degree from Ohio Northern University. His term expires Sept. 27, 2015.

McIntyre will represent community-based victim advocates and Democrats, replacing Janet Praefke. McIntyre is a victim rights supervisor for the Oakland County Prosecutor. She has served as a victim rights advocate for 26 years and was selected as one of the first three paralegal victim advocates by then-Oakland County Prosecutor L. Brooks Patterson. McIntyre has a paralegal certification from Oakland University. Her term expires Sept. 27, 2015.

Each person on the five-member commission serves a three-year term, and no more than three members can be of the same political party. Appointments are subject to the advice and consent of the state Senate.