Last of 4 burglars sentenced

A 26-year-old Kalispell woman was given a 10-year suspended sentence Tuesday in Flathead District Court after being convicted of felony burglary and theft.

Tellegen participated in the burglary of a Spring Hill Road home between Dec. 19, 2011, and Jan. 13, 2012, in which 57 guns and several other items were taken. The total value of all items stolen was $50,380.

On Aug. 9, Jeffrey Weldele, 30, of Whitefish, Ashley Ekern, 27, of Whitefish and Aaron Zelenik, 33, of Kalispell were sentenced during a combined hearing for their parts in the burglary.

Tellegen was the only perpetrator who did not receive any time in jail, instead receiving a completely suspended sentence.

If she violates her probation, however, she will serve the entirety of her 10-year sentence in the Montana Women’s Prison.

By comparison, Ekern — the only perpetrator with no criminal history, although she was convicted on another burglary along with the Spring Hill Road burglary — was sentenced to five years in jail and five years suspended.

Tellegen was absent at the Aug. 9 hearing because she was in the hospital about to give birth.

In addition to her suspended sentence, Tellegen was ordered to join in the restitution owed by all four perpetrators, consisting of $27,354 to the homeowner as well as roughly $4,610 to the provider of his homeowners insurance and $2,500 to the provider of his National Rifle Association firearms insurance for payouts he received after the burglary.

Tellegen also was ordered to pay a $1,000 fine, a $500 public defender fee and a $100 surcharge.