$15K paid after fake kidnapping robbery

HUDSONVILLE, Mich. (WOOD) - The 20-year-old who admitted to faking his own kidnapping in an attempt to rob the grocery store where he worked has been sentenced under an act that could leave his record clear of two felonies.

Justin Kelsey admitted in August that he lied when h e told police in February he had been kidnapped by two men and forced to rob the Coopersville Family Fare, where he was a manager. That story was made up in an attempt to get away will stealing more than $15,000.

"Some of his motive ... was to commit a perfect crime," Lt. Mark Bennett of the Ottawa County Sheriff's Department told 24 Hour News 8 in March after Kelsey's arrest. "Well, obviously that didn't happen."

Kelsey was sentenced Monday for two counts -- carrying a concealed weapon and making a false report of a felony -- under the Holmes Youthful Trainee Act, according to his attorney Gary Springstead.

The Holmes Youthful Trainee Act allows juvenile offenders one chance to wipe their records clean if they serve probation, pay fines and stay out of trouble.

Springstead requested his client be sentenced under that act to avoid carrying a felony on his record.

A third charge of embezzlement did not qualify for the Holmes Act. For that, Kelsey was sentenced to three days in jail and 100 hours of community service. He also made restitution to the tune of $15,600, Springstead said.

Kelsey will still have to pay court costs and fees and $5,822 more in restitution to Spartan Stores for investigation costs.