The Dollar Bay man sentenced for misappropriation | News, sports, jobs

Jason Heikkinen

Houghton – a man from Houghton County will spend more than two months in prison and will pay more than $ 175,000 in refund after being sentenced Monday, under charges.

Jason Heikkinen, 47, from Dollar Bay, appeared on Monday in the Court circuit, in a number of personal trusting relationships with the vulnerable adult.

The case has developed for a few years and started when Heikkinen worked at a local car dealer, where he developed a relationship with an elderly woman while she sold several vehicles owned by her.

When the woman became a resident of a local medical care facility, her bills were managed by a financial institution, an agreement that was subsequently stopped. Without a nearby family to help her, Heikkinen became her financial conservative – for a fee.

In this position, Heikkinen was alleged, Heikkinen placed the woman’s financial portfolio, including investments, savings and her home on her behalf and began to sell her personal property.

At one point, the authorities said, Heikkinen passed through the woman’s house, eliminating articles, which he then sold for his own profit. These included the tools of the late husband, the collection of weapons and her wedding ring. It is assumed that these actions were done without the knowledge or permission of his family.

During the sentence on Monday, prosecutor Daniel Helmer allowed the victim’s sister, Betty Hughes, to speak. Hughes offered a detailed description of Heikkinen’s behavior and actions, along with discussing the impact he had on his victim and family. Hughes said, among other things, Heikkinen insisting that family members do not visit their sister if not present.

During the meeting, Heikkinen asked for excuses.

“I am very sorry that I did not do a better job,” he said. “I’m sorry for the family. I’m sorry about my dear friend … “ he said. “I will always love him (she) and sorry for my actions. Were not my intentions to hurt him. Most of what I eliminated … I tried to remove most of the garbage and things that would have no value for anyone. “

During the sentence, the judge of the Circuit Court, Brittany Bulleit, addressed Heikkinen, saying he could not say anything better than the victim’s sister said in her statement.

“He offered me a very good overview of the impact he had on the victim”, “ Bulleit said. “I hoped you really listened to this, because something I learned during this is that it sounds like (she) was even more vulnerable than other victims. He didn’t even know how to write a check at that time. “

Bulleit said he felt that Heikkinen committed more than he apologized, but added that he did not doubt his remorse.

“But someone has confidence in you,” She told Heikkinen, “And you took advantage of this confidence again and again. And you don’t just prey on her finances, you sat down on her house. You have placed yourself as a beneficiary. You took precious goods – including a wedding ring – and you sold them for monetary value for your own benefit. “

Bulleit said that Heikkinen took the life savings from the victim, along with her ability to feel safe.

“And I just heard that you call the articles you got rid of” garbage “,” she said. “Where is your position to say that something belonging to him was the garbage today?”

Bulleit said he didn’t think heikkinen understands the damage made to his victim and family.

Heikkinen’s actions involving the victim’s assets caught the attention of Range Bank in 2023, because the staff there noticed that her account has dropped from $ 70,000 to almost nothing. Michigan Post Police Calumet Post managed the investigation.

This investigation showed that Heikkinen has spent more than $ 130,000 from her money.“You practically entered her life and you tried to take everything,” “ Bulleit said. “You isolated it by her family. You are going to take all things when he died. “

“You continued to go to the sound of $ 179,250 and it seems that this does not include whatever could have been sold from the house and the value it had, so it’s not even everything.”

Heikkinen’s lawyer Matthew Eliason argued against Heikkinen receiving prison because of his health. He suggested arrest at home as an alternative.

Bulleit said that due to the nature of Heikkinen’s actions, a prison sentence was justified.

As a result of a pleading agreement, Heikkinen’s sentence included 180 days in prison, with credit for a day executed, requiring 89 days to be served starting with the date of conviction. The remaining 90 days will be served if its probation conditions are violated. He was also sentenced to 24 months of evidence and must pay the return of $ 179,250.

The victim’s sister, Hughes, said she was satisfied with the conviction decision.

“Stole the housing with all the weapons from it.” she said. “It’s not Junk.”

“In a few weeks of having made the victim’s sustainable prosecutor, he listed as 85 percent beneficiary”, “ Hughes said, adding that the family does not know the whole amount of what was stolen, including the victim’s investments and dividends, because Heikkinen also took all the documents.

“Range Bank was wonderful”, Hughes said. “Range was the one who told the police to call me, because they found something happening. They saw the money coming out of my sister and say, “Why? She is in a bloody home of medical care, she spends all this money. “