By Dan Linehan, The Mankato Free Press

ST. PETER — A 21-year-old who pleaded guilty to robbing a North Mankato church last fall has been sentenced to two years in prison.

Tyler Michael Cluka was sent to prison because of his history of prior burglaries, said James Dunn, chief deputy in the Nicollet County Attorney’s Office.

Cluka’s accomplice, Alex Anthony Canavan-Weinandt, 20, avoided prison time because of his cleaner record.

Nate Holdeman, then youth pastor at the Evangelical Free Church, said in an e-mail that he doesn’t know much about Cluka’s background, only that he had a history of trouble.

“I am not mad at him or bitter at him at all,” he wrote. “I do feel a little sorry for him. He sounds like a guy that has not had things go well for him.”

He said he would be welcome back at the church at any time.