Culprit in RC business break-ins sentenced to 3 to 10 years

Presque Isle County prosecutor Don McLennan was satisfied Circuit Judge John Kowalski sentenced Abraham Helsel, 25, of Onaway properly last Thursday. But he?s just disappointed the sentencing guidelines limited the range.

?The judge did as much as he could,? said McLennan. Helsel, convicted of six felony counts, including the breaking and enterings of five Rogers City businesses last September, will spend 38 months (three years, two months) to 10 years in the Michigan prison system.

?It was my statement to the court…that it?s unfortunate that the guidelines restrict the discretion of the trial judge in instances such as Mr. Helsel,? McLennan said last Friday. ?In effect, he had the benefit of being able to commit multiple crimes without the consequences continuing to mount for him.? Helsel had two prior felony convictions.

HELSEL WAS involved in the beak-ins of Karsten?s Restaurant, Jason?s Gaslight Lounge, Kortman?s Restaurant, BJ?s Classic Auto, and the BP gas station on Third Street in Rogers City. David Allen James, 27, of Adrian faces similar charges but has not been arrested in Presque Isle County. The break in of Karsten?s Restaurant and Dairy netted thieves about $100, and resulted in a broken door and window, but it?s not what concerned operator Cheryl Kowalski.

?I don?t care about the long prison term as long as he gets the help he needs while he?s in jail,? said Kowalski. ?I?m a victim, but I?m also a human being. These kids are in trouble, they need help. Nobody?s lives were hurt. Windows are replaceable, but can anybody save their lives??

Helsel and James were allegedly involved in the breaking and entering of Brady?s Country Store in Afton. In that crime, an ATM was removed from the business and found later on a two-track road.

IN THE coming weeks, troopers from the state police happened upon the two during a B&E in progress at the BP gas station in Atlanta during the early morning hours. McLennan believes Helsel needed to be locked up for as long as possible.

?He (Helsel) disrupted a lot of lives,? said McLennan. ?The sentencing guidelines score was that the minimum sentence should fall within the range of 19 to 38 months,? McLennan said. ?So the minimum sentence was directed by the legislature to be somewhere between 19 and 38 months.? The recommendation by Michigan Department of Corrections probation officer Jude Bluemle, on the felony counts, was for a sentence of five years, seven months to 10 years.

?THE MAXIMUM sentence under the statute

is 10 years, but the judge is required by the sentencing guidelines to impose a sentence within the guideline range.? McLennan said it was abundantly clear that Helsel needed to be put away for as long as the guidelines would allow, ?for the protection of society.? There were three files Helsel was sentenced to last Thursday. One file was for the breaking and enterings of the five businesses, which were all felonies. The other felony was home invasion second degree for the break in of a house trailer on Twin School Highway. Kowalski sentenced Helsel to 38 months to 10 years. The sentences are to run concurrent.

Helsel also was convicted of attempted resisting and obstructing and assault and battery. He received a sentence of one year in jail on the resisting charge, and was credited for 132 days.