Former Chaska Area Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Jacqi Hellendrung pleaded guilty to felony theft last week.

According to a press release from the Carver County Attorney Jim Keeler’s office, Hellendrung issued her plea in court on March 26.

Hellendrung was originally charged with six counts of felony theft and two counts of misdemeanor theft in October 2008 for allegedly stealing chamber funds during her six-year turn as director. Seven of the charges were eventually dismissed.

On Friday, Hellendrung pleaded guilty to one count of felony theft, use of property without consent. Judge Richard Perkins sentenced Hellendrung to two years probation and ordered her to pay $5,000 restitution.

“We are pleased that the litigation is completed,” said Hellendrung’s attorney Thomas Kelly. “We believe a satisfactory resolution was reached. The prosecution was presented extremely professionally by Assistant County Attorney Mary Shimshak. Judge Perkins composed a fair sentence, prudently considering all the facts. Ms. Hellendrung remains a hardworking business person and a devoted wife and mother.”

The criminal complaint alleged that Hellendrung “used the chamber’s checking account and credit card to reimburse herself for personal expenses without the authorization of the chamber.”

Among the items listed in the complaint, Hellendrung allegedly used chamber funds to reimburse herself repeatedly for cell phone services above her $55 monthly allowance to cover costs for cell phone services and equipment for herself and her family.

The complaint also alleged that Hellendrung used the chamber’s credit card and check card to purchase things like gasoline, restaurant lunches and salon services.

“[Hellendrung] often concealed the true nature of the purchases she charged to the chamber credit card by writing something else on the memo lines of the checks from the chamber checking account, which she used to pay for the credit card bills,” the complaint stated. “[She] also concealed the true nature of the purchases and payments she made by omitting information about the purchases, and by including misinformation for the purchases in the entries she made in the chamber’s bookkeeping system, QuickBooks.”

According to the complaint, Hellendrung sent a letter to the chamber on March 16, 2008, stating that she provided work time to the chamber, and that she often mixed her professional and personal life.

“[Hellendrung] suggested she made ‘mistakes’ in financial transactions,” the complaint stated.

The press release indicated that Hellendrung “apologized in court to the chamber, its board and its members.”

Though the prosecution argued for jail time, Perkins ordered Hellendrung to complete 80 hours of community service, submit a DNA sample to the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension and pay $5,000 restitution to the chamber in addition to her two-year probation. If restitution is not paid in seven days, the court will order a restitution study, which could increase the amount owed.

-Mollee Francisco, staff writer