Hennepin County District Court has released charges filed against a Rochester, Minn., man accused of stealing merchandise from Scheels, pawning some and returning others for gift cards with the help of a female accomplice. Three other people were charged with DWIs occurring in Eden Prairie.
Theft
A 39-year-old Rochester man is charged with theft stemming from a September 2022 incident at Scheels in Eden Prairie.
According to the police complaint:
Police received a report from Scheels about a male and female who entered the store on Sept. 19, stole a pair of boots, and then returned the boots, receiving a $140 store gift card. The defendant then stole a crossbow scope valued at $1,799. Meanwhile, the female bought several items using the gift card. Scheels identified the defendant based on similar thefts at Scheels in Rochester.
Police searched the defendant’s name using an online database, which indicated he had pawned a crossbow scope at a Burnsville pawn shop on the same day as the theft. Police viewed the pawn shop’s surveillance video and identified the defendant wearing the same clothing during the Scheels theft an hour before.
A summons was issued for the defendant’s arrest. The felony charges carry a maximum sentence of five years and/or a $10,000 fine.
A 39-year-old Willmar, Minn., man is charged with theft resulting from a December 2022 incident at the Eden Prairie Scheels store.
According to the police complaint:
Police were dispatched to Scheels for a theft of merchandise totaling $211.98. Police stopped a vehicle based on a license number provided by Scheels employees. The two occupants each had active warrants for their arrest. They were driven back to Scheels, where they were positively identified.
The defendant was summoned to appear in Hennepin County District Court. The misdemeanor theft charge carries a maximum sentence of 90 days and/or a fine of $1,000.
Drug possession
A 40-year-old Minneapolis man is charged with six counts, including fifth-degree drug possession, marijuana possession in a motor vehicle, driving after revocation, no seat belt, inoperable turn signals, and possession of drug paraphernalia, in a November 2022 traffic stop in Eden Prairie.
According to the police complaint:
On Nov. 28, 2022, an officer patrolling near Valley View Road and I-494 in Eden Prairie followed and then stopped a vehicle with a malfunctioning license plate light and brake lights. The officer observed the defendant sitting on his seat belt and saw marijuana and drug paraphernalia visible inside the car. The defendant admitted that his driver’s license had been revoked and that there was more marijuana in the car.
After asking the defendant to get out of the car, the officer searched the vehicle and located a vape cartridge marked as “Dabwoods,” a marijuana blunt, and an LA Dank Co. Exolixx cannabis package containing a small amount of marijuana in two plastic baggies, and an EX Splitz tool used for or re-rolling marijuana blunts. The officer field-tested the items he located, which showed a presumptive positive for THC. The total marijuana weight was 1.1 grams.
If convicted, the defendant faces a maximum sentence for the fifth-degree gross misdemeanor drug possession charge of one year and/or a $3,000 fine. The revocation and possession of a small amount of marijuana are misdemeanors with a maximum penalty of 90 days and/or a $1,000 fine. The remaining petty misdemeanor charges carry a maximum $300 fine.
The defendant was summoned to appear in Hennepin County District Court.
DWI
A 30-year-old Eden Prairie man is charged with driving while intoxicated (DWI) and careless driving stemming from an incident in July 2022.
According to the police complaint:
An Eden Prairie officer patrolling at 3 a.m. on July 23 near Highway 5 and Mitchell Road observed a vehicle swerving on the road at speeds from 50 to 60 miles per hour. The officer stopped the vehicle, observed an odor of alcohol coming from inside the vehicle and noted that the driver’s eyes were watery and glassy. The defendant admitted to having two beers at a bar.
The officer performed sobriety tests during which the defendant exhibited signs of impairment. An initial breath test showed a blood alcohol content (BAC) of .08. He was arrested and transported to jail, where he agreed to provide another breath sample showing his BAC at .07.
A review of the defendant’s driving record showed two prior DWI-related offenses. The defendant was summoned to appear in Hennepin County District Court. If convicted of the gross misdemeanor DWI, he faces a maximum sentence of one year in prison and/or a $3,000 fine. The misdemeanor careless driving maximum sentence is 90 days in jail and/or a $1,000 fine.
A 23-year-old Eden Prairie man is charged with two third-degree DWIs, a gross misdemeanor, and two additional misdemeanor counts stemming from a July 2022 incident in Eden Prairie.
According to the police complaint:
An officer observed and stopped a vehicle with tinted windows and tinted film over the license plate on W. 78th Street in Eden Prairie. The registered owner also had a revoked driver’s license.
The officer observed several open beer bottles in the vehicle and performed sobriety tests, indicating impairment. A preliminary breath test (PBT) sample showed a BAC of .119, above the legal limit of .08.
After his arrest, the defendant was taken to jail and agreed to a breath sample which showed a BAC of .11. His driving record also showed a prior qualifying DWI-related offense.
If convicted, the defendant faces a maximum sentence of one-year imprisonment and/or a $3,000 fine for each gross misdemeanor charge, and up to 90 days and/or a $1,000 fine for each of the misdemeanor charges of driving after revocation and open bottle. The defendant was summoned to appear in Hennepin County District Court.
A 37-year-old Richfield man is charged with two counts of second-degree DWI and driving after revocation, stemming from a January 2023 incident in Eden Prairie.
According to the police complaint:
An officer responded to a report of a truck stopped on the side of the road near Highway 212 and Shady Oak Road on Jan. 22. The defendant was sitting in the vehicle’s driver’s seat, which had its hazard lights flashing.
The officer observed the defendant’s eyes to be bloodshot, and the defendant stumbled as he walked. He admitted drinking “a little bit” before driving. The officer observed several indicia of impairment. A PBT showed a BAC of .20. The defendant was arrested and transported to the police station, where he agreed to a breath sample, which showed a BAC of .20.
The defendant’s driving history reflected one prior DWI offense within 10 years and that his license was revoked. The defendant was in custody and held in lieu of $12,000 bail. If convicted, the defendant faces a maximum sentence of one year and/or a fine of $3,000 for the gross misdemeanor charges. The misdemeanor count has a maximum sentence of 90 days and/or a fine of $1,000 fine.
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