CENTER CITY, Minn. - A Chisago County man received the maximum sentence allowed by law in the drug-related death of his on-again, off-again girlfriend back in 2012.
A judge sentenced Aaron Schnagl to more than 13 years in prison after he was found guilty of third-degree murder for providing the cocaine that killed 27-year-old Danielle Jelinek. State sentencing guidelines call for Schnagl to serve at least two-thirds of his remaining sentence. He was credited for the 1,293 days (three and a half years) he has already served behind bars.
Jelinek disappeared on Dec. 8, 2012, after spending the night with Schnagl at his home. Her body was found five months later, in May 2013, in a swampy area, known as “Peterson’s Pond” near Schnagl’s home. During Schnagl's trial, Jelinek's family described her as a methamphetamine addict since high school, who had gone through treatment multiple times to get sober.
The victim's sister, Cory Jelinek, testified that Danielle had been sober after the last treatment in 2004 until she met Schnagl and he became her boyfriend. Cory Jelinek said she did not know that her sister had used cocaine, but did know she drank alcohol.
In the courtroom Friday, Jelinek's mother, sister and aunts talked about what a bright light she was and lamented that she will never be able to get married, have children and live out the remainder of what could have been a long and eventful life.
After victim impact statements Schnagl addressed the courtroom himself, insisting he did not receive a fair trial.
"I will never give up fighting for the truth and to do what's right," he said.
Schnagl also spoke of his daughter and how she has lost her innocence through the process of his conviction.
"Words cannot express my guilt and sorrow for leaving her side at the age of only eight. Like I stated previously, there will be no winners here today," Schnagl said.
Schnagl did say he wanted to contact Jelinek's family but was unable to due to the legal process and his status.
Jelinek's family was not impressed by Schnagl's statement, expressing some satisfaction that he got the maximum sentence allowed by law. "He’s a compulsive liar so I don’t believe anything he says anyhow. We know that," Danielle's father, Ed Jelinek, told reporters outside the courthouse following the proceedings.
Danielle's sister, Cory, added, "It certainly doesn’t change the pain but I think if that’s all that we have for now is a guilty verdict and the maximum sentence, then I think that gives us some peace."