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Burglar faces prison term

Michael Stewart
Man stole treasured items from neighbor

Mollie Mae was Tricia Bryan's only child.

From Mollie's single day of life, June 22, 2010, her mother saved photographs, the baby's dress and rosary. But a neighbor stole that from her during a break-in two years later.

Investigators recovered the blue satin memory box that once held the items from under the neighbor's kitchen sink.

“But I have never gotten those items back. ... I have nothing to look at when I'm missing her. ...” said Bryan of Eau Claire. “For the life of me, I don't understand what kind of person does this.”

The man responsible, 40-year-old Michael Eugene Stewart, on Thursday faced sentencing and Bryan's question.

“What kind of person does this?” Butler County Judge William Shaffer repeated to the defendant.

Stewart, who earlier acknowledged his own actions have brought guilt, disgust and regret, answered, “A person not in his right mind. I have no excuse. There's no excuse. I wasn't in my right mind when I did this.”

Stewart, who pleaded guilty to felony burglary, was sentenced to serve 30 days to 23 1/2 months in the county prison followed by 18 months of probation.

Prior to being led from the courtroom, he issued an apology to Bryan and a pledge that “I would if I could undo my part in causing you pain.”

But Bryan, who was having back surgery in Pittsburgh, wasn't in the room. On at least two previous occasions when Stewart was scheduled to be sentenced, Bryan attended court and brought the now empty memory box. But those sentencing dates were delayed because of what Stewart's defense attorney Joseph Smith described as serious complications to his client's medical issues, which include hypertension and diabetes.

In Bryan's proxy, a representative of the county district attorney's Victim Services department read a statement the victim had written.

“I was raised to be a good Christian woman by my mother and grandmother and they always taught us to forgive,” the statement said. “Well Mr. Stewart, what you have done is horrible and I will never forgive you.”

Court records say Stewart, between Jan. 12 and 14, burglarized Bradley and Tricia Bryan's trailer home on Marie Avenue. Stewart took jewelry, electronics and other property worth a combined $2,000 as well as the memory box.

The judge gave Stewart credit for the 90 days he spent in prison awaiting resolution of this case. In addition to the prison time, Stewart, who does not have a high school diploma, a prior record, wife or job, was ordered to spend 18 months on probation and reimburse the couple $2,000.

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