Apologies were not enough for Leland businessman John Sisson, who was sentenced last week to a full year in prison — the maximum length he could be ordered to serve.

John Sisson, standing nexrt to his attorney, Larry
Nelson, is sentenced in court Friday.

Sisson, standing before District Court Judge Thomas J. Phillips, expressed remorse “for the pain” he had caused his wife, family, church congregation, community — and the elderly woman from whom he had pleaded guilty to stealing $11,200.

“I love her very much and tried to treat her like my mother … I ask for her forgiveness,” said Sisson.

The sentencing was scheduled to begin at 10 a.m. Friday, but Phillips delayed his ruling to read last-minute letters submitted by community members hoping to sway his decision. Nearly 80 letters were received by the court, with the vast majority extolling Sisson’s good deeds and character.

But Phillips concentrated on the charge itself, “embezzlement of $200 to $1,000 from a vulnerable adult,” when handing out justice in a large portion.

Court workers and prosecutors could not recall a previous first-time offender receiving the maximum one-year imprisonment for a misdemeanor. Sisson was also ordered to pay $1,595 in fines and costs, serve two years probation and not act as a “conservator, guardian, treasurer or fiduciary position or power of attorney.”

Sisson had previously agreed in a deal reached with the county Prosecutor’s office that prevented prosecution on a felony charge to pay the victim, 90-year-old Berta Steinkamp, $50,000 in restitution. A Leelanau County Sheriff’s Department investigation determined that Sisson had taken more than $200,000 through the years from Steinkamp, but Sisson’s attorney Larry Nelson denied that figure. Nelson said a news story alleging “tens of thousands of dollars being stolen” amounted to “false publicity”.

“Most people reading the headlines will accept it as fact,” said Nelson.

According to prosecutors and others close to the case, Sisson had befriended Steinkamp, a German immigrant who was a close friend of the mother of Sisson’s wife. Steinkamp, who has no known living relatives in America, moved to Leland from Indiana after her husband died. She was taken in by the Sisson family as one of their own, and eventually Sisson and his wife moved into her home on Oxford Drive.

According to Nelson, the Sissons paid $25,000 to turn a portion of Steinkamp’s home into an apartment.

But after Steinkamp had suffered from falls, John Sisson placed her at an extended care facility in Northport. A hospital worker suspected elder abuse after overhearing Sisson tell Steinkamp she could not return home in a conversation reported as being argumentative.

A county Sheriff’s Department investigation was quietly pursued for nearly two years. The case first surfaced publicly at Sisson’s arraignment March 28 — at which he pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor.

Sisson’s supporters are many, and dominated the more-than 40-member gallery attending the hearing. He is the popular former owner of the Leelanau Country Inn, and owner of Sisson’s Mainstreet Market in Leland. As part of his sentencing, Phillips allowed for work release for 40 hours a week starting June 1.

Sisson’s business is in jeopardy, Nelson said, as he has no money and had to borrow from friends to pay the restitution. “The business will not survive without John Sisson being able to … run it,” Nelson said.

Deputy Leelanau prosecutor Doug Donaldson recalled Steinkamp’s tears after learning that all of her money had been taken by Sisson. She will now have Social Security, her husband’s pension and the restitution to live out her life.

Prosecutors said they did not seek a felony charge because historical monetary records could not be found, to spare placing Steinkamp on the witness stand, and to assure she received a substantial reimbursement as quickly as possible. Said Donaldson after the sentencing: “She said she did not want to see John Sisson go to jail, that she didn’t want (Linda Sisson, John Sisson’s wife) without a husband while he was in jail.”

Donaldson said Steinkamp brought a “considerable amount of money” with her when moving to Leelanau County, where she consulted with an estate planner to assure the funds would last through her lifetime.

But the pain went much deeper for her, said Donaldson, because she was isolated by many in the community who did not believe her story.

“The loss to Mrs. Steinkamp is as much to her dignity as to her funds,” he said.

Phillips concurred.

“You were placed in a position of trust, and you violated that trust,” said Phillips in handing
down the sentence. “It’s even worse …she was an elder person who had to rely on you.”

Added Phillips: “At this point I don’t think you are a risk to the county, but you have to pay for what you did.”

After the sentencing Steinkamp’s friends at first sought to exit her through a back door to avoid those attending the hearing, but thought better. “You have nothing to be ashamed of,” said one, as they helped her toward an elevator.