ALEXANDRIA - An Alexandria man was sentenced to 10 years in prison Tuesday after he was convicted earlier this year for stealing thousands of dollars from his ailing mother.
Kenneth Hauge was sentenced to 15 years in prison for theft by exploitation, but Judge Chris Giles suspended five of those years. A jury convicted him in March after a two-day trial at the Hanson County Courthouse in Alexandria.
According to court documents, Hauge's mother, Joan, was residing in Firesteel Healthcare Community in Mitchell in 2017. Hauge was named as his mother's power of attorney, after which he stole more than $30,000 from his mother's assets, such as her checking account, CDs and savings bonds.
Hauge also admitted he had a previous felony conviction for possessing between 1 and 10 pounds of marijuana, leading to the state officially identifying him as a habitual offender. He was convicted on the charge in 2012 and was sentenced to four years in prison.
He was out on parole when he was arrested for stealing money from his mother. Court documents state Hauge must repay restitution in the amount of $31,743.82, and cannot have any contact with his mother or Marie Hauge.
