Despite a tearful plea to return to his family soon, Michael Thomas Kullberg, 27, received a 10-year sentence to Montana State Prison with five years suspended

Kullberg also received a level three sexual-offender designation.

Level three means that the risk of a repeat sexual offense is high, based on a psycho-sexual evaluation.

The sentence was handed down by Flathead District Judge Heidi Ulbricht on Friday.

The sentencing follows a May 19 court decision revoking Kullberg’s parole for violating rules of his probation such as associating with other probationers, consuming alcohol, driving without a license, driving under the influence, disorderly conduct, visiting his child’s school without prior written consent and not providing a proper address as a requirement to register with law enforcement.

Kullberg also was caught trying to flee Montana.

Kullberg had been serving the 13-year suspended portion of a 20-year prison sentence for felony sexual intercourse without consent from September 2006. In 2014, Kullberg had been released from prison on parole to Hawaii for sex offender treatment, but was kicked out of that state, convicted of driving under the influence and returned to Montana.

“The court does acknowledge in this case that the violation that was filed wasn’t because you re-offended with the original felony that you were charged with, but you didn’t follow through with treatment,” Ulbricht said. “The court finds that you were previously unsuccessful on community supervision and you didn’t follow through with your treatment. You lacked accountability and insight, that may be a mixture of your personality and substance abuse issue.”

Kullberg will be given credit for actual time served, but not for the time served while on probation.

Deputy County Attorney Caitlin Overland had earlier requested a 13-year sentence with five years suspended considering Kullberg’s probation violations and 2006 rape of a 14-year-old.

Kullberg’s attorney David Mattingley argued that a two-year sentence to the Montana Department of Corrections with parole eligibility based on completion of sexual offender treatment would be appropriate. Mattingley said it was “very important” that Kullberg be rehabilitated and reintegrated into society.

“[He] became of age in the prison system, your honor,” Mattingley said. “Given that reality, we can see a pattern of progress.”

But Overland didn’t see the numerous parole violations as success or maturity. Overland said evaluations of Kullberg describe him as not accountable for his actions, boastful, overconfident and narcissistic.

“In fact it seems as though he has not changed much at all,” Overland said.

Before sentencing, photos of Kullberg’s baby were handed to the judge and Kullberg addressed the court. Kullberg talked about the fear of being in prison, the intimidation of other inmates, going into a coma for three days and learning the hard way “how to be a man.”

“Am I sad I went to prison? Absolutely not,” Kullberg said. “I’m glad. Why? Because I was a 17-year-old trying to be macho.”

Kullberg said he learned respect, integrity and social skills.

And then he started to tear up talking about his family and his baby, taking off his glasses and wiping his eyes with the orange sleeves of his prison sweater pulled over his curled hands.

“I’m just asking for another chance. I’ve never had another chance my entire life,” Kullberg said, yet in the same breath admitted that Hawaii was a second chance that he “screwed up.”

“Not being with my family is killing me inside,” Kullberg said.

Then Kullberg apologized for his past “heinous acts” and said the forceful rape of another person was the “most terrible thing to do to somebody.”

Kullberg added while in prison, “I walked in the shoes of the victim.”

Kullberg said he prided himself on being a good person and building respect and integrity, “but it took me five years to get to that point.”

Hilary Matheson is a reporter for The Daily Inter Lake. She may be reached at 758-4431 or hmatheson@dailyinterlake.com.