A former Burke County state's attorney got three years and five months in a federal prison for stealing more than $600,000 from the estates of two sisters and giving the money to exotic dancers.

Richard Wilkes, 60, also borrowed money from friends to give even more than that to the half-dozen women he met in Minot between 1995 and 2001.

"I don't think I've ever heard of anything so ridiculous and stupid in my life," U.S. District Judge Daniel L. Hovland said in a federal courtroom Monday. "You've tarnished the reputation of lawyers in North Dakota."

Wilkes pleaded guilty in September to mail fraud and tax evasion for stealing the assets of Hulda and Magdalena Jordy, sisters from Bowbells whose estate he was handling through his private law practice.

When the women died within two months of each other in early 2001, Wilkes began writing checks to himself from the sisters' accounts.

Wilkes said he gave away much of the money to the dancers as loans, but they never paid him back. They used the money to finance cars, make rent payments and buy food and clothes. He said he gave one woman about $400,000 "in one form or another" to invest in a nursing home.

"I apologize to those who were injured. I don't have the words to say I'm sorry," Wilkes said.

"I don't know how I could've been so stupid."

Hovland questioned Wilke about a number of exotic dancers with names like "Goldie," "Yvonda" and "Ed." A majority of them were from Milwaukee.

Wilkes said he believed those were the dancers real names. He wasn't certain where some of the dancers currently live, and he said he hasn't heard from any of them since he was charged with a crime.

"Did you ever figure out that these girls were taking you for a ride," Hovland asked about midway through.

"Now I know," Wilkes replied.

When the judge asked Wilkes if he had sex with the dancers, Wilkes said he had.

Why would you would put your reputation on the line to "spend a few nights in some sleazy no tell motel with … black strippers from Milwaukee"?, Hovland asked.

Wilkes had a private law office in Kenmare and worked as Burke County prosecutor. He had been an attorney for 27 years when the state Supreme Court suspended him from practicing law in January. Hovland told Wilkes that he likely would be disbarred.

Hovland also ordered that Wilkes pay restitution and be on supervised probation for three years after his release.

Hovland said Wilkes owes the Gordys' three heirs about $440,000 and the Internal Revenue Service about $270,000.

Wilkes said he has no assets and his only income comes from a Social Security check. He's disabled because he suffers from severe asthma.

The Gordys' estate also is suing Wilkes in Minot.

Wilkes said that his Philadelphia malpractice insurance company denied coverage.

Wilkes will remain free for a couple weeks so he can appear in a Minot courtroom on state charges. He's expected to get a similar sentence to be served concurrently.

"Mr. Wilkes, you can consider yourself lucky," Hovland said. "The sentence would be much longer if there were no sentencing guidelines."

(Reach reporter Mike Albrecht at 250-8261 or cops@ndonline.com.)