United States Attorney Brendan V. Johnson announced that a Cambridge, Minnesota, man charged with Failure to Pay Child Support was sentenced on September 9, 2013, by U.S. District Court Judge Charles B. Kornmann.
Kenneth B. Kleppen, age 42, was sentenced to 5 years of unsupervised probation, a $100.00 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund, and child support restitution in the amount of $54,778.41.
Kleppen was indicted for failing to pay over $47,720.00 in past due child support by a federal grand jury on January 8, 2013. In 1999, the defendant had a relationship with a woman which resulted in the birth of a child on Jan. 23, 2000. The relationship with the mother ended in 2000, and on June 30, 2000, an order was filed with the Third Judicial Circuit Court, Codington County, South Dakota, ordering the defendant to pay a total of $2,447.90 in arrearages and attorney fees. Furthermore, he was ordered to pay on-going child support in monthly payments of $353. On Nov. 22, 2004, the child support order was modified, and the defendant was ordered to pay a monthly amount of $550.
From January 2010 until October 2010, the mother entered into an agreement with the child’s maternal grandmother giving the grandmother temporary guardianship. As a result, the mother and the defendant were required to pay the grandmother for support of the child. Although the mother paid her portion, the defendant never made a payment. Subsequently, the defendant owes $5,500 in arrears to the maternal grandmother. Kleppen pled guilty to the charge on September 9, 2013.
This case was investigated the Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas J. Wright prosecuted the case. The defendant was released from custody.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
