Arson, theft, sex abuse cases make way through courts

Dec. 30--CLINTON -- A jury acquittal for a woman charged with arson and a former Clinton School District teacher receiving a prison sentence were among Clinton County District Court case dispositions in 2017.

n Jaclyn M. Bentley stood trial in late January and early February. She was charged with first-degree arson and insurance fraud. A Clinton County District Court jury acquitted Bentley on both charges. Bentley was also charged with second-degree arson, which was dismissed by the State prior to the start of the trial. The order for disposition says the jury, after due deliberation, returned a verdict of not guilty on both counts. The court costs were assessed to the State. The order says the court found the matter is eligible for expungement under Iowa Code once all court costs, fees and other financial obligations have been paid. The State did not object to expungement.

n Christopher J. Nielsen, 41, a former teacher with the Clinton School District, was sentenced in June for third-degree sexual abuse, a Class C felony, and sexual exploitation by a school employee, a Class D felony. District Court Judge John Telleen ordered Nielsen to serve an indeterminate term of incarceration not to exceed 10 years for third-degree sexual abuse. He was additionally sentenced to a special sentence of lifetime on parole after his release from incarceration. He was fined $1,000. Telleen ordered Nielsen to register as a sex offender and imposed a no-contact order between Nielsen and the victim.

Telleen also imposed an indeterminate term of incarceration not to exceed five years for sexual exploitation by a school employee. The sentence was ordered to run concurrently with the sentence imposed for third-degree sexual abuse. Telleen also ordered Nielsen be sentenced to a special sentence of 10 years as if he were on parole. He was fined $750. A $250 civil penalty was assessed on each charge.

n Chad C. Schipper, 40, of Geneseo, Illinois, is charged in Whiteside County, Illinois, with one count of felony home invasion, eight counts of felony aggravated kidnapping, two counts of armed violence, one count of theft, two counts of aggravated battery and two counts of unlawful restraint. Court records stated Schipper is accused of wearing a mask and threatening two individuals with a firearm in the process of abducting them on Feb. 7. The affidavit states the Whiteside County Sheriff's Office received a report around 4:45 p.m.Feb. 8 from the 1st Trust and Savings Bank in Albany, Illinois, regarding a suspicious withdrawal of currency from the victims' bank account.

Officers the next morning were led on a high speed chase by Schipper that ended in a crash near Port Byron, Illinois. The victims were found shortly after the crash in a home in Geneseo around 5 a.m., according to Whiteside County Sheriff Kelly Wilhelmi. The couple were treated at a hospital for injuries and released.

A pretrial conference is set for 1 p.m.Jan. 23. A jury trial is set to begin at 8:30 a.m.Feb. 13.

n Amanda B. Johns, 38, appeared in November in Clinton County District Court and pleaded guilty to first-degree theft, a Class C felony. The State will recommend a suspended sentence and payment of victim restitution. Sentencing is set for Jan. 11.

According to the affidavit, on March 14, 2016, a representative of the Clinton High School Band Boosters Club reported to the Clinton Police Department the theft of money from the club's bank account. The state auditor completed an investigation and provided a report to the public dated Jan. 22, 2016. The investigation identified $38,353,88 of improper and unsupported disbursements and undeposited collections by Johns, who was Band Boosters treasurer. Of that amount, $28,838.20 of improper disbursements identified included $18,601.03 in cash withdrawals, $10,125.41 in checks written to Johns or her husband and $111.76 in payments to vendors.

An officer later interviewed Johns, who told the officer she withdrew cash from the Band Boosters checking account. She said she did this to protect the funds from Clinton High School. Johns admitted because she did not keep track of her own spending, she spent money belonging to the Band Boosters for personal reasons. Johns told the officer she believed she took $23,000 out of the Band Boosters account, which she felt she had to replace because the funds were improperly disbursed.

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