Belzer Cyber-Stalker Gets Break From Appeals Court

A Lakeville woman convicted of cyber-stalking Lakeville's Belzer family won an appeal earlier this month and will not serve a full year in jail for the crime.

Kaley M. Hennessy, 26, was sentenced to a year in jail last August, along with 40 years probation, for cyber-stalking Jamie Belzer, 31, and her family after allegedly breaking up with one of their in-laws.

But after serving nine months of her sentence, Hennessy was released provided she not violate probation. Dakota County Attorney James Backstrom appealed the release, but the Minnesota Appeals Court ruled earlier this month that Hennessey's release was valid.

Hennessey was convicted of impersonating Belzer family members on various websites, including Facebook, and taking over the email accounts of Belzer and Belzer’s mother-in-law, Gloria, a former Eureka Township supervisor. Hennessey also signed Jamie Belzer up for services such as daycare, and created false profiles on dating websites, Craigslist and even pornography websites.

As part of Hennessey's release, she must serve her court mandated sentence of 40 years of probation, and if she violates court orders, would have to serve a stayed six-and-a-half year prison term.

At the time of her conviction, Hennessey was determined to have suffered from and had a history of mental problems. After her release, she was told to enter treatment, which she did, albeit some time after being released. It was for that reason that Backstrom appealed she go back to jail.

will follow the case if news warrants.