Class party co-chair charged with theft

Money allegedly taken from Sibley High graduating class account

A West St. Paul woman was charged Tuesday with theft after she allegedly stole about $14,000 to pay medical expenses from a fund intended for the Henry Sibley High School's graduation party.

Ana Hellzen, 40, was a co-chair for the high school's 2005 annual graduation party and was one of the two people in control of the checkbook for the account, which was opened in the name of Independent School District #197, Henry Sibley Class Party.

Hellzen told police in September she guessed she had taken at least $6,000 from the account beginning in April. According to the complaint, she told police she was waiting for this day to come, that she had fallen on financial hard times. She is charged with felony theft and attempted theft, according to the complaint filed in Dakota County District Court.

A review of checks revealed numerous payments to cash, totaling $6,500, and others made out to various businesses and for other uses for $8,400, according to the complaint. Several also were made out to Hellzen's husband, Scott Hellzen.

The other party co-chair, who was not named in the complaint, told police all invoices and bank statements went to Ana Hellzen because she was the primary person listed on the account. She told police she had received calls from Associated Bank in July because the account was overdrawn $11,608.17.

Dakota County Attorney James Backstrom said a majority of the checks were used to pay medical bills. He would not say what illness Hellzen or anyone in her family was receiving treatment for.

"All I'm willing to confirm is it appears the money stolen was used to pay family medical bills and other debts," he said.

Backstrom said that it was not an excuse to commit a crime and that the county intends to seek full restitution and a sentence that might include a short stint in county jail and work service.

Beth Borgen, principal of Henry Sibley High School, said the senior class party committee is composed of volunteers and is not a component of the school or the school district.

Borgen added that parents are not in charge of any school district funds.

The Henry Sibley graduation party usually features an obstacle course, the popular video game Dance Dance Revolution, a hypnotist and several "unbelievable" prizes students can win, Borgen said.

"It's an awesome event for the kids and an opportunity for them to hang with their buddies one last time," she said. "Graduation is a tough thing."

Because of the diminished graduation party account, however, the class of 2006 might be treated to a much smaller party, Backstrom said. The account, access to which changes hands every year, usually has leftover money the previous year's committee didn't use.

Backstrom said $4,766 was carried over from the 2005 fund. Carryovers vary from year to year, but the 2006 fund should have started with about $10,000.

Borgen said that she knows Hellzen and that Hellzen is not a bad person.

"She's a caring member of the Sibley community," Borgen said. "Her children were involved in activities and she was supportive of that."

Backstrom said Hellzen will make her first court appearance Feb. 6.

Nina Petersen-Perlman can be reached at nperlman@pioneer press.com.

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