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Judge denies lesser sentence for former Mercer County Treasurer

A former Mercer County treasurer is now behind bars, after turning himself in Friday, November 15, 2014.Mike Bertelsen made a last-ditch effort to get his sente...

A former Mercer County treasurer is now behind bars, after turning himself in Friday, November 15, 2014.Mike Bertelsen made a last-ditch effort to get his sentence reduced, but the judge was in no mood to compromise.

Bertelsen sat quietly with little expression on his face as he listened to the news he wasn't hoping for.

"Betraying the public trust as Mr. Bertelsen did even after serving his county as treasurer for 20 some years is the ultimate betrayal," said prosecuting attorney, Michael Vujovich.

Bertelsen pleaded guilty in October to felony theft and to official misconduct after taking $13,000 from the Mercer County's 911 fund. Bertelsen paid the money back, but the judge Friday still sentenced him to four years in prison. Bertelsen's attorney asked the judge to rethink his sentence.

"We felt that some of the factors in litigation the court should have considered were not adequately looked at and examine by the judge," said Bertelsen's attorney, Jack Schwartz.

The judge said he is going to stand by his original sentence to set an example and hopefully deter others from doing the same.

"A message had to be sent," said Vujovich.

However, Schwartz says the punishment is too harsh.

"To send him to the Department of Corrections I think was a sentence that was more than should have been imposed," said Schwartz.

Schwartz says the first time offender had family issues that made him take the money. Now Bertelsen sits in the Mercer County jail waiting to be transferred to the Department of Corrections.

"I really believe he should have gotten probation in any event nothing harsher than that," said Schwartz.

Schwartz says they plan to appeal the sentence.

 

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