Man gets up to 10 years for burglary of church

1/23/2004

HILLSDALE — A Hillsdale man will serve up to 10 years in prison for the burglary of a church.

Dustin Freeman, 28, was sentenced in Hillsdale County Circuit Court Tuesday to 3 to 10 years for the November break-in at the First Presbyterian Church of Hillsdale.

Freeman stole computer equipment, including a collector's edition of an Apple computer, belonging to the church and the interim pastor, police said.

In addition to the prison sentence, Judge Michael Smith ordered Freeman to pay restitution to the church and the cleric totaling $4,374.

Freeman had lived in a residential hotel just a block away from the church.

Police said he entered the church by forcing open a basement door in the youth activities area.

Some of the stolen items were recovered.