MONROE — It was just a small, solar powered turtle decoration but it meant so much to the Ellefson family, who said the ornament had adorned their young son’s grave for a decade.

The family, who lost their son Jacob at the age of 14, spoke at the Monday sentencing in Green County Circuit Court of Carrie Thompson, who pleaded guilty to possessing property stolen from Jacob Ellefson’s Green County grave — a crime authorities say was repeated many times over at cemeteries in Green, Rock and possibly other counties.

And so on Monday, before Circuit Judge Thomas Vale — and in front of grieving loved ones impacted by the thefts — Teri Ellefson, Jacob’s mother, was able to confront the defendant, who ultimately was sentenced to 720 hours of community service, probation and 60 days in jail.

“This turtle meant every thing to us,” Teri Ellefson said, recounting how friends of her son and family pooled their money to buy the solar decoration after Jacob died. “Shame on you for trying to benefit from the heartache for our 14-year-old son.” 

Initially charged with 40 misdemeanor counts of receiving stolen property, Thompson pleaded guilty to the five counts through a plea agreement reached between the defendant and District Attorney Craig Nolen’s office that called for years of probation and community service.  

But after hearing the emotional impact statements from victims imploring him to sentence Thompson to jail, Vale ultimately added the 60-day sentence on top of the prior agreement’s many probation, restitution, and other requirements.

Thompson, a 47-year-old mother of three, obtained the items from numerous cemeteries — or from people who took them — and re-sold them, mostly online. For a time, police set up a table in Monroe to display the items for identification by victims, while imploring area residents to check the graves of their loved ones for anything amiss.  

“I wanted to see who would do this,” said Kathy Shebelbon in a victim statement, adding that the removal of items had tremendous emotional impact on all the victims. “I can’t imagine someone would steal from the dead.”

Prior to sentencing, the defendant’s attorney, and Thompson herself, addressed the court. The attorney, Jane Krueger Smith, said the defendant was not actually charged with going to graves and stealing the items — just receiving them and trying to sell them. And she said the relatives were “conflating” what amounted to low-dollar property crimes with the deep emotional impact of their deceased loved ones.

“She was and is profoundly sorry,” said Krueger Smith. “She did not understand the emotional impact of the (things) that were taken.”

For his part, District Attorney Craig Nolen said the original no-jail agreement with the defendant was structured to give her “the opportunity to give back to the community,” in which she lives and committed crimes.

“That (720 hours) is the most community service I’ve ever recommended or asked for … in Green County,” said Nolen.

The judge also addressed Smith’s statement that Thompson was not charged with stealing the actual items. He said the crimes, nonetheless, resulted in emotional damage that was spread “community wide.”

“It’s incomprehensible how you could go on and assume it wouldn’t affect anyone else,” said Vale. “It’s difficult to fathom how we got to 40 counts.”

The remaining counts against her were dismissed but “read in” to the court record. She was not taken into custody immediately, having been released on bond, but will report to jail at a future date.

The defendant briefly addressed the court and the families present, and her attorney further pointed out that she has no other criminal record before or after her arrest. 

“I truly am sorry,” said Thompson, whose son also briefly addressed the court. “I’ve lived a pretty solid and honest life.”

Kurt Ellefson, the father of Jacob Ellefson, thanked the entire law enforcement community for their many hours of work investigating and prosecuting the complex case, including Monroe Police.

“I feel like we got some justice today,” he said.  “I am glad there was some jail time. Now we are going to try and heal.”