Suspended prison sentence for Worth County man guilty of unemployment benefit fraud

FERTILE — It’s a suspended sentence and probation for a man from Fertile who pleaded guilty to unemployment benefit fraud.

45-year-old Jason Berding was accused of illegally receiving a total of 54 weeks of state unemployment insurance benefits, totaling over $17,300 between February 2015 and June 2018. Berding was arrested on March 27th and charged with first-degree fraudulent practice, a Class C felony.

Berding pleaded guilty to the charge and was sentenced on Monday by District Judge Gregg Rosenbladt to a suspended five year prison sentence and was placed on five years probation.