Jail time, probation for theft from Boy Scouts

Posted

BROOKINGS – A Brookings man who stole more than $17,000 from a local Boy Scout troop has been sentenced to five months in jail and four years of supervised probation.

Travis Beller, 39, also has to pay $17,589.33 in restitution to the troop.

Court documents say Beller was serving as treasurer for Boy Scout Troop 24 when he wrote checks to himself for cash. The thefts took place from February 2017 to January 2018.

Beller pleaded guilty to one count of grand theft on Nov. 20, 2018, and two counts of forgery were dropped as part of a plea agreement. 

Beller failed to appear for his sentencing on Jan. 8. He was arrested on a bench warrant in May, and sentencing took place in Brookings County Circuit Court Tuesday.

Defense attorney Robert Fite said Beller was remorseful for his actions and that they impacted both the victims and his family.

Beller has two prior misdemeanors on his criminal record and suffers from depression and other mental health issues, Fite said. The attorney said Beller didn’t show up for his first sentencing hearing because he was paralyzed with fear.

Beller also apologized and said he violated the trust of a lot of people with his “terrible actions.”

Before he announced Beller’s sentence, Circuit Judge Greg Stoltenburg noted that Beller is failing to pay his child support, is not paying back money he borrowed for college, and he has been unemployed for 11 months.

“All you do is make promises you don’t fulfill,” Stoltenburg said. He later noted, “You stole from children.”

Beller was then sentenced to five years in the state penitentiary. The prison time is suspended on condition that Beller serve 150 days in the Brookings County Detention Center and four years of supervised probation, and pay court-appointed attorney fees, a $1,000 fine, and restitution to the victims. He must obtain full-time employment, remain law abiding, cannot consume alcohol or drugs, and is subject to the terms and conditions of probation.

Beller received credit for 36 days already served in jail.

Brookings County State’s Attorney Dan Nelson said he believed Beller’s sentence was appropriate given his criminal history and the charge to which he pleaded guilty.

“I’m pleased that we were able to find justice in this case. It was a large amount of money that was taken by Mr. Beller, and it was a solid investigation by the Brookings Police Department that ultimately led to him being held accountable for these charges,” Nelson said.

Grand theft is a Class 4 felony punishable by up to 10 years in prison and a $20,000 fine.

Contact Jill Fier at jfier@brookingsregister.com.