The Fergus Falls Daily Journal

A former Dent man was sentenced to 3 years and 3 months in prison on Friday for his role in a burglary of a home near Elizabeth.coverage

Joel James McManigle, 23 of Wahkon, was convicted of second degree burglary and fifth degree drug possession.

He was also charged with first degree burglary, possession of a firearm after a violent crime conviction, and theft, but those charges were dismissed.

On Dec. 24, 2010, the sheriff’s office was alerted to a possible burglary in progress at a home on County Highway 10. When two deputies arrived at the home, they found McManigle, along with Deanna Louise Nelson, the daughter of the woman who owned the home.

Neither McManigle nor Nelson had permission to be at the home, and the deputies suspected they had been using methamphetamine, which was later backed up by the discovery of meth and meth paraphernalia at the home by a drug-sniffing dog and Nelson’s mother.

The two were arrested at the scene. Later, a deputy learned that Nelson had two children, ages 6 and 14. When asked about their welfare, Nelson allegedly said the kids were staying with a friend, but a deputy found them home alone. The 14-year-old allegedly said that Nelson had left home on Dec. 23, claiming to have a dental appointment.

Nelson’s mother had been on vacation during the time of the break-in. When she arrived home, she realized that some items had been stolen, including a shotgun, a camera and some toy dogs. She also discovered that McManigle and Nelson had watched pay-per-view movies in her home while she was away, charging them to her television account.

In addition to his prison term, McManigle was fined $100. He was also fined an additional $50 for an unrelated DWI conviction also handed down on Friday. In that case, McManigle had rolled a Jeep Cherokee, with Nelson along as a passenger, on State Highway 108 near Lake Lida on Dec. 11, 2010.

McManigle had several of his crimes dismissed after two guilty pleas. Nelson has not pled guilty and is scheduled to face a jury trial in September.