Kalispell man convicted on burglary charge

A Kalispell man received a net sentence of 20 years in the Montana State Prison with five suspended July 6 following his conviction on a burglary charge.

Initially charged with kidnapping and burglary after allegedly holding a casino employee hostage in January 2017 as he and a co-defendant robbed the business, Andrew Taylor Nelson, 23, was convicted of felony burglary in Flathead District Court.

The kidnapping charge was dismissed in accordance with a plea agreement with the state.

At the time of the burglary, Nelson was on probation as part of a deferred sentence he received in 2013 after being convicted of assault with a weapon.

According to court documents, on July 4, 2013 Nelson was involved in an episode of road rage involving several other men that ended with him beating a man with a golf club in a grocery store parking lot until the club broke.

As a result of the beating, the man sustained a spinal fracture among other injuries.

Nelson was sentenced to six months in jail in addition to a five-year deferred sentence for the assault.

Upon his conviction of the new offense of burglary, Nelson’s previously deferred sentence was also revoked.

For the 2013 revocation case, Nelson received five years in prison.

For the 2017 conviction, Nelson received 15 years in prison with five suspended to run consecutively to the 2013 sentence for a total of 15 years in prison and five on probation.

In addition, Nelson was awarded credit for 579 days time served, but must pay more than $7,000 in restitution to the casino.

Reporter Mary Cloud Taylor can be reached at 758-4459 or mtaylor@dailyinterlake.com.