Butte bail bondsman Ben Thielen, who also is a candidate for Butte-Silver Bow County sheriff.felony insurance fraud charge has been filed

felony insurance fraud charge has been filed against Butte bail bondsman Ben Thielen, who also is a candidate for Butte-Silver Bow County sheriff.Thielen is set to make an initial appearance Nov. 13 before District Judge Brad Newman. He denied wrongdoing and says the charge is "politically motivated." According to court records, an insurance company paid Thielen $14,255 for items he claimed were stolen from his home in 2006.However, prosecutors allege Thielen knew the items were taken by his ex-wife, who jointly owned them.Roberta Cross Guns is the special deputy county attorney assigned to the case, as well as a special assistant attorney general for the state auditor's office. She says the auditor's office conducted the investigation independently and without regard to Thielen's campaign.