An Illinois man will serve the maximum sentence in prison for robbing a Bismarck woman of her car outside a car wash in August.

South Central District Judge Robert Wefald sentenced Jason Bedenkop on Tuesday to 10 years in prison for Class B felony robbery. Wefald sentenced Bedenkop to concurrent five-year sentences for two Class Cfelony charges of theft of property.

Bedenkop pleaded guilty to the felonies in October. Because robbery is a violent offense, Bedenkop will have to serve 85 percent of the sentence before being considered for parole.

Bedenkop was accused of stealing a 48-year-old woman's car as she was drying it off outside a Bismarck car wash. The woman tried to grab the keys from the ignition as the man drove off in it, but she was unsuccessful and was dragged for a short distance.

Police located the car at another gas station minutes later, where Bedenkop was attempting to use the woman's credit card to fill the car with gasoline.

Burleigh County Assistant State's Attorney Lloyd Suhr recommended the sentence handed down by Wefald.

"Bottom line, I want him off the streets for a very long time," Suhr said.

Bedenkop has a long criminal history in Illinois, Suhr said. At a past court hearing, Bedenkop said he came to Bismarck to participate in Teen Challenge, a faith-based program to address addiction problems. He was supposed to start the program Aug. 11 but was arrested Aug. 10 in the robbery. He has been in the Burleigh County Detention Center in lieu of $50,000 cash bond since then.

Bedenkop told authorities he was trying to steal a car to go back to Illinois following an argument with his stepfather, Suhr said.

"There's just no excuse for what he did,"Suhr said.

Susan Schmidt, Bedenkop's appointed defense attorney, recommended a sentence of two years in prison, followed by probation. She said he needs, and wants, treatment for several mental illness diagnoses, as well as drug and alcohol problems.

"He does want to turn his life around," Schmidt said.

She said Bedenkop didn't know he was dragging the woman behind the car and didn't intend to hurt her.

Bedenkop said he realizes what he did was wrong, then turned to apologize to the victim, who was in the courtroom.

"I am truly sorry I caused you any emotional or physical harm,"he said. He again apologized to her as officers escorted him from the courtroom.

Wefald said he agreed with Suhr that the best sentence was one that would keep Bedenkop "out of circulation" for as long as possible.

"I agree with Mr. Suhr," the judge said. "We just can't have this."

(Reach reporter Jenny Michael at 250-8225 or jenny.michael@;bismarcktribune.com.)