ASSAULT

Minnesota victim services threatened under federal funding freezes, cuts

Mary Murphy — Tue, 25 Feb 2025 16:17:18 GMT

ST. PAUL — Victim services across the state said Monday afternoon that federal funds from President Donald Trump’s administration are being cut, warning they may need to cut services, staff or dissolve altogether.

Groups supporting victims of assault, abuse and other crimes in the state said at a press conference Monday, Feb. 24, that federal funds are still being frozen, grants are being stalled and funding portals are being taken down, despite judges temporarily blocking an order to pause federal funds.

The groups — the Minnesota Coalition Against Sexual Assault, Minnesota Indian Women’s Sexual Assault Coalition, Violence Free Minnesota, Mending the Sacred Hoop, Minnesota Alliance on Crime and Minnesota Children’s Alliance — said they will soon have to start cutting services, staff or dissolve altogether.

Marcia Milliken, executive director of Minnesota’s Children’s Alliance, which supports children who are victims of abuse, said the organization is 90% federally funded and that its 13 centers across the state are projected to lose $4.5 million in the next fiscal year from federal funding cuts.

Artika Roller, executive director of Cornerstone Advocacy Service, which provides support for assault and trafficking victims in Bloomington, said Cornerstone was notified Monday that federal funds would be cut and the next day at 5 p.m. they had been cut off.

Guadalupe Lopez, executive director of Violence-Free Minnesota, which focuses on victims of domestic abuse, said the organization is around 80% federally funded, and if it loses funds, it will dissolve completely.

On Jan. 27, Trump asked for a freeze in federal funds to evaluate if almost $3 trillion of those funds align with his priorities. The two-page memo from the White House Office of Management and Budget states that federal agencies must temporarily pause all activities related to “foreign aid, nongovernmental organizations, DEI, woke gender ideology, and the Green New Deal.”

The following day, a federal judge temporarily blocked the freeze, and on Jan. 31, a separate federal judge ordered an additional block to the freeze. Despite these court orders, the Minnesota advocacy groups said Monday that funds are still being halted.

Rep. Kelly Moller, DFL-Shoreview, said funds are being threatened under the Violence Against Women Act, the executive order to repeal DEI efforts, the Victims of Crime Act and the Victims of Child Abuse Act.

Moller said the VOCA funds had already seen a 42% cut in funds from the federal government from 2023 to 2024, and officials are now expecting a larger one. On Feb. 6, the Department of Justice’s Office on Violence Against Women advised organizations to halt applications for federal grants and removed information on existing grants.

“So what we’re finding is that even though the federal judge has blocked the freeze, in some cases, the money’s still not coming in, they’re canceling grants … sometimes portals are broken,” Sen. Erin Maye Quade, DFL-Apple Valley, said after the press conference.

Minnesota lawmakers say they will push for passage of HF1082 and SF852, which would allocate state grants for funding services that work with victims of crime. Moller, the chief author of the bill in the House, said she expects the bill to be bipartisan but doesn’t believe Republicans are taking the federal fund cuts seriously.

“I think there is a view that we’re overreacting or hysterical about this. We’re not overreacting. This is serious. Programs have already started to make changes,” Moller said. “I know my colleagues on the other side do tell me they care about victim services — my bill is bipartisan — but when we do bring up the cuts from the federal level, we’re met with laughter.”

Senate Minority Leader Mark Johnson, R-East Grand Forks, said on Monday that Democrats created a problem with crime when they passed things like the Minnesota Rehabilitation and Reinvestment Act, which eases eligibility for early release based on how “time is spent” in jail not “how much time served.”

“We continue to see Democrats try to blame President Trump for problems they created themselves,” Johnson said. “They spent the $18 billion surplus, raised taxes by $10 billion, and left us with a $5 billion deficit. We have major issues to address at home because of Democrat policies, and Democrats would rather do anything than talk about them.”

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Virginia, Minnesota, man accused of attacking 2 with knife, stealing puppy

Tom Olsen — Mon, 19 Aug 2024 22:02:00 GMT

VIRGINIA — A man allegedly attacked two people with a knife while abducting a puppy from a northeast Minnesota residence last week.

Jordan Lee Raati, 32, of Virginia, has been charged with aggravated first-degree robbery and two counts of second-degree assault.

The incident was reported around 1:15 a.m. Wednesday near the 200 block of Third Street South in Virginia. Police said a 51-year-old man suffered stab wounds to his chest and abdomen, while a 44-year-old woman was cut on the forehead.

Both had “obvious wounds and were actively bleeding” when the Virginia Police Department, St. Louis County Sheriff’s Office and Minnesota State Patrol responded, according to a criminal complaint.

The probable cause statement says both victims indicated Raati, an acquaintance, had arrived at the apartment to return a dog that belonged to the woman. They said he previously indicated he wanted one of the puppies belonging to the man, but they refused, and an argument ensued.

The complaint says Raati then began fighting with the woman, cutting her face with a knife before stabbing and cutting the man several times. He then ran off with the dog.

The victims were provided treatment for non-life-threatening injuries.

Deputy Marty Thorne and K-9 Thor performed a track to a nearby residence. Officers obtained a search warrant, and Raati was arrested.

In a statement, he allegedly confirmed that he went to return the woman’s dog but claimed the two residents attacked him and held a knife to his throat. He told officers he got away and ran out of the home, but said one of the man’s dogs followed him.

Raati was convicted earlier this year of felony threats of violence and remains on supervised probation. He has several prior misdemeanor convictions, including domestic assault, fifth-degree assault, interference with a 911 call, disorderly conduct and obstructing the legal process.

Judge Robert Friday set Raati’s bail at $50,000 at an arraignment in State District Court on Friday. His next appearance was set for Monday, Aug. 26.

Virginia is located about 65 miles north of Duluth, Minnesota.

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Jury finds Fargo couple partially at fault for sexual assault that took place in their home

Tasha Carvell — Fri, 19 Apr 2024 21:57:15 GMT

FARGO — A jury on Friday found that a Fargo couple in whose home a sexual assault took place in 2019 was partially liable in the case.

The case involved the sexual assault of two teenage girls by two 15-year-old boys. One of the girls sued the parents of the other girl, claiming they failed to keep her safe while she was under their supervision.

The Forum does not identify victims of sexual assault or their families. Because the individuals named in this case are either victims or their family members, pseudonyms will be used for them for the purposes of this reporting.

The plaintiff in the case — the girl who did not live in the house where the assault took place who was 15-years-old at the time — will be identified as Jane Doe (Jane) and her parents as John and Joan Doe (the Does). The other girl, who was 17-years-old at the time and at whose home the assault took place, will be identified as Polly Poe (Polly) and her parents — the defendants in the case — will be referred to as Paul and Pauline Poe (the Poes).

The civil trial of Jane Doe against the Poes began Tuesday, with a nine-person jury consisting of six men and three women being seated and hearing testimony and evidence from plaintiff’s attorneys Lindsay Wilz and Duane Lillehaug of the Maring Williams law firm and Bismarck-based defense attorney Lawrence King on Wednesday and Thursday.

The assault

According to testimony and court records, Jane spent the night of Oct. 18, 2019 at Polly’s house. The Poes were home at the time, and the Does were aware that Jane was spending the night at her best friend’s home, a frequent occurrence. The girls had been friends since before kindergarten.

Three boys were also hanging out with the girls in the basement of the Poe home that evening. One of them was Jane’s boyfriend, who was known to the Poe family. The Poes were not familiar with the other two boys but Pauline met them at the door when they arrived sometime after 11 p.m. and spoke with them. Polly’s boyfriend also visited the home around midnight.

The Poes did not physically check on the teens in the basement at any point over the course of the evening or overnight. They communicated by text with Polly that the teens were forbidden to drink alcohol and that the boys were to leave by no later than 1 a.m.

Two of the boys — including Polly’s boyfriend — left by 1 a.m., but two others did not leave the house until 9 a.m. on Oct. 19, when they snuck out an egress window. The girls drank alcohol in spite of the Poes’ warnings, and, sometime over the course of the night or in the early morning hours, Jane’s boyfriend sexually assaulted her, according to testimony and court documents. Not long after that, Jane’s boyfriend and the other boy who stayed that night both sexually assaulted Polly. Jane was in the room when Polly’s rape happened but was so incapacitated she was not aware of what was happening, despite Polly’s cries for help.

The Forum is not identifying the boys accused of the assault because they were juveniles at the time and the records are sealed in the juvenile court that adjudicated them directly. Pauline Poe previously told The Forum that one boy pleaded guilty by taking an Alford plea - which allows a defendant to acknowledge that there is enough evidence to find them guilty without admitting to any wrongdoing - and that Jane's boyfriend was found guilty in their juvenile proceedings with regard to the assault on Polly.

Both boys testified at the trial on Thursday and denied having non-consensual sex with Jane and Polly, testimony attorneys for both sides called not credible in their closing arguments.

'Bad things can happen'

Jane’s attorneys said the Poes were negligent in protecting and supervising her as a minor under their care in their home, and that negligence presented the opportunity for her to be sexually assaulted.

John Doe testified that “the life has been sucked out of” his once “bubbly, happy, and full-of-energy” daughter since the assault, and that she’d become isolated and “broken” in the intervening years.

King argued in a motion for summary judgment in the case that there was no way the Poes could have reasonably foreseen the criminal act of sexual assault would take place at their home that night. Judge Nicholas Chase denied the motion, saying the issue of whether or not Jane's injury could have reasonably been anticipated or foreseen was a question for a jury.

Six weeks prior to the assault, Pauline Poe caught the girls at the Poe home on Labor Day weekend. Pauline testified that she told the girls, “bad things can happen,” when they drank and urged them not to do it again.

But, Wilz pointed out in her closing argument, the Poes did not disclose that Labor Day incident to Jane’s parents, and, for that reason, “the (Poes) were the only adults who could have reasonably anticipated what happened that night,” Wilz said.

Wilz said that if the Poes had enforced the two rules they’d imposed via text — that there be no alcohol and that the boys leave by 1 a.m. — everything that happened could have been avoided.

'Great day for our justice system'

Text messages shown in court between the Poes and Polly over the course of the evening reiterated those rules, but Wilz argued the couple went to bed prior to ensuring the boys had left and did not go down to the basement at any point to check and see if the teens were drinking.

The defense argued that 100% of the fault in the case was that of the boy who allegedly assaulted Jane Doe. King said that there were no red flags to suggest the Poes should have foreseen what would happen. Polly Poe testified that it was “evil” to try to blame her parents for what happened, and that the assaults could have happened just as easily at the Doe family’s house.

Wilz asked the jury to award Jane $4 million in damages for past and future injury that resulted from the incident.

After 2 1/2 hours of deliberation Friday, the jury found that Jane Doe should be awarded $250,000. The jury found that the Poes bore 40% of the fault — 20% each — for the harm Jane suffered, assigning 58% of the fault to Jane's boyfriend and 2% to the man who supplied the alcohol to the girls that night. The jury had the opportunity to find fault with Jane Doe as well as the other boy who assaulted Polly, but assigned zero fault to either of them.

King told The Forum he appreciated and respected the jury’s determination in the case.

“We are elated with the outcome,” Wilz said. “It is great for (Jane) to be validated — as a victim, to be told by a jury of her peers that this was not her fault. And for the (Poes) to be held responsible — it is a great day for our justice system.”

In 2021, the Poe family filed a federal lawsuit against the Fargo Public ��s and North and Davies High ��s, where the children in question attended school. The suit alleged the district violated federal law and school policy by not investigating the allegations after the girls and their parents reported them. The parents also claimed district leaders displayed negligence, indifference and sexual discrimination, violating the district's own policies and Title IX, a federal civil rights law that protects people from sex discrimination in education.

That case was dismissed when Chief District Court Judge Peter Welte ruled the school did not have control over the home where the sexual assault occurred, and thus could not have prevented or been held liable for the assault, nor did the schools violate Title IX because no further harassment was alleged to have occurred after the incident.

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Woman allegedly stabbed Iron Range man as he slept

Tom Olsen — Wed, 17 Apr 2024 16:43:19 GMT

VIRGINIA, Minn. — A woman allegedly made threatening statements before stabbing a 63-year-old man as he slept in his bed.

Brianna Leigh Schroeder, 27, of Duluth, was charged with first-degree assault in the Sunday incident in Aurora.

The victim, who was not identified in court documents, was airlifted to a Duluth hospital after suffering at least one wound to his abdomen, according to a criminal complaint filed Tuesday in State District Court.

The East Range Police Department was called just after 1 p.m. to an apartment at 16 N. Main St. The complaint says officers found the victim on the kitchen floor screaming “Oh my God!” and holding a bloody towel over an approximately 1-inch wound.

Emergency personnel treated the man at the scene before he was flown to the hospital, where he remained as of Monday afternoon, according to the complaint.

Police said a woman at the scene identified Schroeder as the perpetrator, indicating she fled out the back door.

Officers from numerous agencies were called to assist with a search that spanned more than three hours as authorities circulated a photo of the suspect and warned residents to stay away from the area of South Second Street East and Forestry Road.

The complaint says Schroeder, after being tracked by K-9 units, was eventually found coming out of the woods at 4:42 p.m. She was reportedly naked, had superficial scratches across her body, and her lips appeared blue from the conditions.

Schroeder was taken to Northern Pines Medical Center before being booked at the St. Louis County Jail.

In a statement given after a Miranda warning, she allegedly admitted to stabbing the man, whom she called “the devil.”

Police said they later found another witness, who reported he had been in the living room with Schroeder and two others while the victim slept in his bedroom. He said the defendant had a knife and was making “concerning statements,” prompting the witnesses to begin planning to take the weapon away.

However, before they could do so, Schroeder went into the bedroom and the victim was heard yelling. The witness said he went in and found the suspect holding the knife. He told her to leave, which she did.

The complaint does not provide further details on any alleged motive or relationship between the parties.

Schroeder has one misdemeanor conviction on her record in Minnesota, for tampering with a motor vehicle, and she has two pending cases at the Virginia courthouse for obstructing the legal process.

But St. Louis County prosecutor Chris Florey added that she appears to have prior offenses in Indiana, including escape from custody. He called her a “significant flight risk” and said she faces a lengthy presumptive prison term if convicted of the stabbing.

Judge Rachel Sullivan granted Florey's request to set unconditional bail at $300,000 and deny conditional release. Schroeder's next court appearance was set for April 29.

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Charges against Oscar Luna dropped in connection to sexual assault of 11-year-old girl in Bemidji

Annalise Braught — Tue, 02 Apr 2024 23:21:03 GMT

BEMIDJI — Updates to a case centered around the sexual assault of an 11-year-old girl in Bemidji have been released nearly seven months after the investigation began.

Beltrami County Attorney David Hanson issued the additional details and case updates on Tuesday afternoon following a hearing for Oscar Luna, who has been one of the main suspects in the case up to this point.

Law enforcement became aware of the incident at 2:15 a.m. on Sept. 23, 2023, when a Bemidji police officer responded to the Sanford Bemidji emergency room on the report of a sexual assault of an 11-year-old girl, according to the criminal complaint.

The officer spoke with the victim's aunt, who said the victim told her she had been sexually assaulted at a house in Bemidji. During an interview and physical examination at the Family Advocacy Center of Northern Minnesota, the victim said she was with a 24-year-old woman on the night of the incident.

According to the victim’s statement, the woman was drunk and wanted to go to a party, so she arranged a ride for the victim. A vehicle arrived, and the victim said the woman “made her get into the ‘Mexican guys’ car and they put a bag over her head.”

The victim explained that she arrived at a yellow house and was later tied up unclothed in a room containing two other girls who were tied up on each side of her, according to the complaint. The victim said there were four men present and one of them, called "Panda," had an orange eyebrow piercing and a silver and black gun, and reported that the men sexually assaulted her.

During a forensic interview at the Family Advocacy Center on Sept. 25, the victim stated that she was able to escape the home after another girl at the house helped untie her.

However, according to an Oct. 4 release from Bemidji Police Chief Mike Mastin, one of the females described by the victim was found during a search of the area and was identified as an adult and did not report being assaulted.

The woman also reported that she was not aware of a third victim, the release said. During the execution of the initial search warrant, detectives confirmed that there was not a third victim at the house and at the time were still investigating the possibility of a third victim.

Additional details

Based on the information provided by the victim, law enforcement determined that now 23-year-old Oscar Ernesto Luna, of Mission, Texas, matched the physical description of the suspect the girl described as “Panda,” and he was arrested.

At the time, Luna was charged with one count of first-degree criminal sexual conduct. In a statement, Luna denied sexually assaulting the victim but admitted that he knew the 24-year-old woman who was with the victim.

After further investigation, a search warrant was executed at Luna’s residence at 1821 America Court NW to search for evidence pertaining to the sexual assault, according to a Sept. 29, 2023, release from Bemidji Police Captain David LaZella.

During the execution of the search warrant, 11 men ranging in age from 18 to 56, were found at the home and later transported by U.S. Border Patrol to be processed as undocumented immigrants.

According to Hanson’s update, prior to the Border Patrol’s involvement, the police department secured DNA samples from Luna and the 11 immigrants.

Hanson said that none of the 11 men found at the scene were ever charged with a crime relating to the incident, adding that the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension was not able to match DNA from any of the men to what was found on the victim.

When the BCA examined the girl’s undergarments, they discovered four separate DNA profiles, one of which matched her own DNA, the rest were unidentified individuals which included unknown male DNA.

Law enforcement also processed the scene and the car that the girl had allegedly been forced into for DNA and the BCA was unable to locate her DNA at the scene or in the car, Hanson said.

Besides the ongoing forensic analysis, investigators continued to analyze physical evidence and take statements from individuals familiar with the case, he added.

“Unfortunately, the physical evidence and follow-up statements from witnesses tended not to corroborate the young girl’s statement,” Hanson said. “To be clear, there is little doubt that the young girl was sexually assaulted — the medical evidence from her SANE (Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner) exam supports that she was sexually assaulted.”

Hanson clarified that though Luna was first identified as a suspect by law enforcement because he matched the description given by the girl, he was never specifically identified by any witnesses as the assailant and his DNA was not found on the victim.

“Initially, there was sufficient probable cause to proceed with charges against Luna,” Hanson explained. “But as the investigation unfolded, much of that evidence became either uncorroborated or exculpatory.”

He added that at this point there is no evidence, admissible in a court of law, to implicate Luna for the sexual assault of the 11-year-old girl. Therefore, based on the lack of evidence necessary to prove this case, the Beltrami County Attorney’s Office will be dismissing the charges against Luna.

“Furthermore, because of the DNA evidence excluding the other men found at the scene, there are currently no suspects to file charges against at this time,” he said. “The case will remain under investigation, and if any new evidence is discovered, the Beltrami County Attorney’s Office will examine it and proceed accordingly.”

Hanson said that law enforcement also discovered drugs while processing the scene, which Luna admitted were his. He also acknowledged the house that he was staying at was within a school zone.

Luna entered a guilty plea on Tuesday for felony third-degree possession of a controlled substance in a school zone and has been sentenced to 285 days in jail, but will get credit for having already served 190 days, along with three years of supervised probation.

Luna’s previous offenses include two DWI charges in Hennepin County — one from March 2023 and another from June 2020. Hanson said that upon resolution of his drug charge in Beltrami County, Luna will be released to his warrants.

“On a personal note, I want to thank all of the hard-working men and women who have participated in this investigation, from the nurses and law enforcement officers who investigated the case, as well as all of the members of my staff who have put in countless hours on this case,” Hanson left off. “This case involves a little girl who experienced an unthinkable trauma, and for the prosecution to conclude with an outcome of no charges is itself another trauma – both for the victim and for all of the individuals who have put their heart and soul into this case.”

Anyone with information that might be helpful to the investigation is asked to contact the Bemidji Police Department at (218) 751-9111. Tips can also be made anonymously by contacting Crime Stoppers of Minnesota online at crimestoppersmn.org, by calling (800) 222-8477 or by using the P3 Tip Submit app available on smartphones.

If you or someone you know has experienced sexual violence, advocates are available and ready to help. Reach out to Support Within Reach at their 24/7 crisis hotlines: (800) 708-2727 in Beltrami, Clearwater, Hubbard and Cass, or (866) 747-5008 in Itasca and Aitkin Counties. For more information about Support Within Reach, visit supportwithinreach.org.

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Fourth man charged in Iron Range Hells Angels kidnapping, rape

Tom Olsen — Tue, 09 Jan 2024 14:54:05 GMT

VIRGINIA, Minn. — A fourth man has been arrested and charged in connection with a kidnapping and rape allegedly perpetrated by Hells Angels members in Eveleth.

Eric Anthony Newman, 48, of Gilman, Wisconsin, was arraigned Monday on charges of first-degree criminal sexual conduct, kidnapping, false imprisonment and fifth-degree assault.

Newman, who has a long history of violent crime, is one of two defendants accused of sexually assaulting a woman at an Eveleth residence in late November. A man also was beaten and taken to the local Hells Angels clubhouse, where the chapter president reportedly planned to hold him for a "few months," according to court documents.

The charges against Newman were filed in mid-December, but the case remained under seal at the request of St. Louis County prosecutor Chris Florey, who expressed concern that Newman would flee if the case's existence were publicly disclosed prior to his arrest. He was taken into custody in Taylor County, Wisconsin, last week and then extradited to Minnesota.

Others already arrested and charged in the case are: Jerand Paul French, 38, of Eveleth; Paul Anthony Debelak, 38, of Eveleth; and Jake Douglas Novaczyk, 45, of Inver Grove Heights, Minnesota.

According to court documents, the male victim was found limping and shaking in apparent fear near the Eveleth Police Department by Chief Jesse Linde on the evening of Nov. 28. He declined medical attention and was dropped off with another person.

Police went on to view city cameras in the area, finding that the victim apparently left the Hells Angels clubhouse, 413 Grant Ave., on crutches. Two men gave chase before he was able to make it to the area of the police station, about two blocks away.

The man and a female victim went on to meet with investigators on Dec. 1. Documents say the man, who still had bruising on his leg, expressed fear that the motorcycle club members could find them and disclosed that French, the president, had been upset about his association with the female victim.

Investigators said both victims were visiting a residence on Summit Street in Eveleth on Nov. 27 when the defendants arrived. French allegedly dragged the man downstairs, repeatedly punching and kicking him, while Newman grabbed the woman by the throat and dragged her to the base of the stairs. She told investigators that she was then forced into a bathroom, where both Debelak and Newman raped her.

Criminal complaints say the male victim was then brought to the clubhouse, where French continued to assault him as other members recorded video. He reportedly informed the victim he would remain there "for the next few months and could not leave."

The man, however, escaped to the police department the next day when a prospect escorted him to a gas station. He told police he "decided to make a run for it," ditching the crutches as he hurried toward the safety of the police chief.

The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension executed a search warrant at the Summit Street address on Dec. 8, finding the home "extremely filthy" with the exception of the "spotless" bathroom, which had a bleach jug sitting near the sink.

Two men at the house acknowledged that the Hells Angels president and others had showed up on Nov. 27, assaulting the male victim and taking him out to a van, according to the complaint. Asked about the rape, one reportedly started crying and denied that it had occurred.

Police said street cameras near the Grant Avenue clubhouse also confirmed the group arriving with the kidnap victim around 12:55 p.m. that day. Both victims, in separate interviews, went on to identify Novaczyk as the driver of the van.

Newman has been described in prior court documents as suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder stemming from military service.

He was sentenced in 1996 to 12 ½ years in federal prison after pleading guilty to robbing a Wisconsin bank and using a sawed-off shotgun in the commission of a violent crime. He was granted supervised release in 2007, but was soon sent back to prison after leading officers on a high-speed chase in the Eau Claire area.

He was subsequently convicted of a number of other crimes in Wisconsin, including forgery, aggravated battery, resisting or obstructing an officer, disorderly conduct, fleeing police in a vehicle, theft and damage to property. He was also convicted of fifth-degree assault in Carlton County in 2017.

Newman is currently on probation for a March 2022 incident in which he fled from a St. Louis County sheriff's deputy before engaging in a physical struggle and grabbing at the officer's firearm holster in the Embarrass area.

He pleaded guilty to second-degree assault, fourth-degree assault of a police officer and impaired driving, but received a favorable sentence under a 2021 law that gives military veterans a second chance. Under the agreement, the charges would be dismissed if he successfully completes five years of supervised probation, including participation in the Veterans Treatment Court program.

Judge Bhupesh Pattni on Monday set bail at $750,000, though a probation violation hold currently precludes any opportunity for release. Debelak and Novaczyk also remain in jail, while French has posted bond.

All four are slated to make court appearances Jan. 16.

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Woman charged with stabbing man at Duluth soup kitchen

Tom Olsen — Thu, 04 Jan 2024 22:45:33 GMT

DULUTH — A woman allegedly stabbed her boyfriend five times at a downtown soup kitchen after he attempted to break up with her due to erratic and violent behavior.

Tiwanna Cheree Dunbar, 38, charged at the victim around 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 2 at Union Gospel Mission, striking him with a knife in the chest, stomach, arm and leg, according to a criminal complaint.

The victim, James Casler, 48, told the News Tribune he had just reported Dunbar to police and her probation officer after she assaulted him a few nights prior.

"The cop had just got off the phone with her," he said. "She went straight to the mission with a knife in her hand and tried to kill me."

Casler said Wednesday that he had received numerous stitches at the hospital and was still dealing with some pain and difficulty walking as a result of the attack. Dunbar, meanwhile, was arraigned Thursday in State District Court on three felony charges.

The complaint confirms police had been at the mission, 219 E. First St., around 3:30 p.m. Tuesday to speak with Casler about an "after-the-fact physical domestic." The victim stated they had been in a relationship for a few months and that Dunbar was staying at his apartment on the premises.

Casler said they had been in the mission's community kitchen area two days earlier when another woman came through, setting down her property and exchanging a few words with him. Dunbar then "tossed the woman's items and confronted the victim, believing that he was cheating on her," according to the complaint. Casler asked why she would do that, and Dunbar punched him in the head.

Casler said they went back to his apartment down the hall and he fell asleep, only to wake up to discover Dunbar over him holding a knife to his genitals. She made comments about cutting off his penis and ended up biting him in the arm during an ensuing struggle, the complaint states.

Officers left the mission after taking Casler's report, but returned a short time later when the stabbing was reported. Police said several witnesses saw Casler bringing Dunbar's property to the bottom of the steps to pick up, then heard the victim shout, "She's got a knife!"

The complaint says Dunbar stabbed Casler "in quick succession," and the victim later recalled thinking: "I can't believe this is happening. ... She was trying to kill me by stabbing me in the chest."

Dunbar was arrested a short time later, with officers indicating they seized from her a folding knife, approximately 3-5 inches long, as well as a Swiss Army folding knife. When booked at the St. Louis County Jail, a body scan reportedly discovered another folding knife that she had concealed on her body.

Dunbar is charged with second-degree assault, domestic assault and introducing contraband into a jail. Records show she has at least four prior convictions for domestic violence or threats, including two felonies.

St. Louis County prosecutor Tony Rubin said Dunbar has a history of failing to comply with supervised release, and she faces a presumptive prison term if convicted of the new charges. Judge David Johnson granted his request to set bail at $50,000.

Dunbar's next appearance was scheduled for Jan. 30.

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Third man charged in Iron Range Hells Angels kidnapping, assault

Tom Olsen — Fri, 29 Dec 2023 20:23:40 GMT

VIRGINIA — A third man was arrested last week for his alleged role in a kidnapping and rape reportedly involving several Iron Range Hells Angels members.

Jake Douglas Novaczyk, 45, of Inver Grove Heights, Minnesota, is charged with kidnapping, false imprisonment and fifth-degree assault in connection with the late November incident.

A criminal complaint alleges that Novaczyk drove a van that transported a kidnapping victim to the motorcycle club's Eveleth headquarters, where the group's president reportedly beat him and planned to hold him for a "few months."

The charges were filed Dec. 15, but the arrest warrant initially remained under seal at the request of St. Louis County prosecutor Chris Florey, who expressed concern that "any publication of this complaint (would) cause (Novaczyk) to take active steps to avoid apprehension in this matter."

Two other men had already been apprehended. The president, 38-year-old Jerand Paul French, of Eveleth, faces identical charges as Novaczyk. A prospective member, Paul Anthony Debelak, 38, of Eveleth, also faces the same counts, in addition to first-degree criminal sexual conduct.

The male victim was found limping and shaking in apparent fear near the Eveleth Police Department by Chief Jesse Linde on the evening of Nov. 28. The complaint says he broke down crying but denied medical attention. He indicated he lived out of town and Linde dropped him off with another person.

Police went on to view city cameras in the area, finding that the victim apparently left the Hells Angels clubhouse, 413 Grant Ave., on crutches around 6 p.m. Two men gave chase before he was able to make it to the area of the police station, about two blocks away.

The man and a female victim went on to meet with investigators on Dec. 1. The complaint says the man, who still had bruising on his leg, expressed fear that the Hells Angels could find them and disclosed that the president had been upset about his association with the woman.

Investigators said both victims were visiting a residence on Summit Street in Eveleth on Nov. 27 when several men, including French, Debelak and Novaczyk, arrived. The president allegedly dragged the man downstairs, repeatedly punching and kicking him, while Debelak forced the woman into a bathroom. She told investigators that both Debelak and another man raped her.

The complaint says the man was then brought to the clubhouse, where French continued to assault him as other members recorded video. He reportedly informed the victim he would remain there "for the next few months and could not leave."

Records indicate Novaczyk has an extensive criminal history, with at least five felony convictions in Minnesota. His rap sheet includes several instances of domestic assault and theft-related crimes, along with offenses involving drugs, impaired driving and fleeing police.

Judge Michelle Anderson set bail at $500,000. He remained at the St. Louis County Jail on Friday, as did Debelak, whose bail is set at $500,000 with conditions or $750,000 without.

French was released Dec. 14 after posting an unconditional $500,000 bond.

Novaczyk is set to appear in court again on Tuesday, while his two co-defendants are due back on Jan. 16.

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SUPPORT WITHIN REACH: The headwaters of sexual exploitation in Minnesota

Kathy Gordon, Support Within Reach — Sat, 26 Aug 2023 11:50:00 GMT

The First City on the Mississippi, home of Paul and Babe, Bemijigamaag (lake with crossing waters) — these are our preferred names for our town, but we are also known for our missing people and violent crimes.

In our communities, many of us have experienced the fear or loss of a friend or a family member who has been reported missing. In most cases, these individuals are thought to be on the run. This has its own stigma. Often, a runaway is treated like an inconvenience and less like a missing person.

In one national study, they found that being homeless for more than three days was the single biggest factor in teens being sexually exploited. With the title “runaway” many of these young people will be seen as “problem children” with no ability to seek out services or help. When you factor in that our region has the highest rate of self-identified sexually exploited youth in the state, we must wonder what it is about our area that makes it more likely that our youth will be trafficked?

According to the U.S. Census and Minnesota’s Equality Profile Report, the poverty rate in our area is 29.88% with 24% of our population being under the age of 18. Approximately 35% of the population identifies as non-white, 49.5% identify as female and approximately 11% identify as LGBTQ+ or Two-Spirit.

Traffickers prey on individuals in poverty, those experiencing homelessness or those who are part of a marginalized population. Communities that are poor, disenfranchised and underserved are often the most vulnerable.

Statistically speaking, if you are in an underserved population, you are far more likely to be victimized. To summarize, anyone who has a core need that is not being met is a potential target for sex traffickers, this includes children.

A total of 40% of sex trafficking cases involve minors and 50% of exploited adults were first trafficked as children, with the average age being 13. Our members of the LGBTQ+ community are 23% more likely to be trafficked than their cisgender counterparts.

According to the 2022 Minnesota Student Survey, students of all gender identities reported trading sex for survival needs such as housing, food, and transportation. Students identifying as transgender were almost five times more likely to report trading sex for survival needs.

As the headwaters for trafficking and exploitation in our area, there are many contributing factors that make us the hub. Knowing this, we must ask ourselves what we should do if we believe that someone we know might be at risk of trafficking.

Typically, people don’t tell others, or they may not realize that they are being exploited or trafficked. If they will talk to you, listen without shame or judgment.

Stay calm and validate the person’s experience. Responses such as “I believe you,” and “I care about you,” may be helpful. Avoid trying to "fix" the situation and offer unconditional support. Share resources and give options but do so without pressure.

Respect and recognize a victim’s ability to make decisions for themselves. Do not try to rescue the victim. It can be dangerous for you and the victim to interfere directly with the trafficker. Instead, reach out to a Support Within Reach advocate to help you navigate the situation.

If you or someone you know has experienced sexual violence, advocates are here and ready to help you. Reach out to Support Within Reach at our 24/7 crisis hotlines: (800) 708-2727 in Beltrami, Clearwater, Hubbard and Cass, or (866) 747-5008 in Itasca and Aitkin Counties.

For more information about Support Within Reach, visit supportwithinreach.org.

Kathy Gordon is the Northwest Regional Navigator at Support Within Reach.]]>

'Yes, I was attempting to kill somebody’: Inmate at NE Minn. correctional facility sentenced after attack

Tom Olsen — Tue, 18 Jul 2023 15:16:36 GMT

CARLTON — Nicolas Ladell Aron-Jones was desperate for a transfer to another correctional facility. So desperate that it nearly cost Mark Agurkis his life.

"It’s no less than a miracle that I’m even able to address the court today," Agurkis told a judge Monday afternoon. "I don't remember much of the attack to be honest."

Agurkis, working as a security counselor at the Minnesota Sex Offender Program in Moose Lake, suffered a traumatic brain injury and had to be airlifted to a hospital after the client bludgeoned him with an improvised weapon during the May 1 ambush — one of the most serious incidents in the three-decade history of the controversial program that holds offenders who have already completed prison terms.

Aron-Jones, who has been in a variety of local jails, state prisons, and treatment facilities since his teenage years, acknowledged that he simply wanted out of MSOP — and was willing to go to any means to make it happen.

"Yes, I was attempting to kill somebody that day," he told the court. "If I’ve got to go back, it’s going to happen again. I’m going to make sure I kill somebody so I can spend life in prison."

Judge Amy Lukasavitz sentenced Aron-Jones to 18⅓ years. The agreed-upon term falls just shy of the statutory maximum for attempted second-degree murder, but the resolution offered little satisfaction for most in the courtroom.

"It’s troublesome to the court that you’re going to get exactly what you wanted," the judge said, acknowledging the lack of alternatives for a man who has repeatedly assaulted staff members since first being sent to MSOP in 2015.

Agurkis and his partner were making their final rounds for the day when Aron-Jones approached him from behind and struck him with a pillowcase containing a fan motor, according to court documents. The employee fell to the ground and was unable to defend himself as Aron-Jones swung the weapon at his head and body several more times.

Aron-Jones reportedly kicked and stomped on Agurkis' head eight times before being pushed away by other staff and sprayed with a chemical irritant. As he retreated to his room and was transported to another area of the facility, he was heard yelling threats and making a series of comments, including: "His man saved his life because I was going to kill that motherf-----."

Agurkis indicated Monday that he was a member of a "utility pool" and was not even scheduled to work in Aron-Jones' unit that day. He said he had "very minimal contact" with the client during his time at the facility, leaving no doubt that it was a "planned, premeditated assault."

"I felt used by the defendant so he could get something he wanted: a transfer to another correctional facility," Agurkis said, indicating he still deals with headaches and mental trauma from the attack, leaving his employment future uncertain.

Aron-Jones, according to documents, was convicted of multiple sex crimes and violent offenses as a juvenile in the Twin Cities area. He has been in local jails, the state prison system, and various treatment facilities since his teenage years, and he is under indefinite commitment to MSOP as a "sexually dangerous person."

A 2015 commitment order indicates he was charged in juvenile court in 2009 with molesting 9- and 15-year-old boys, later pleading guilty to second-degree criminal sexual conduct. He was ordered to undergo treatment and subsequently admitted to a count of fourth-degree criminal sexual conduct for assaulting a female staff member at a group home.

As an adult, Aron- Jones was convicted of exposing himself to a developmentally disabled woman at a park, biting a correctional worker and violating predatory offender registration requirements.

He's been in and out of Moose Lake, returning to prison at various times for five felony convictions that involved assaulting MSOP staff, making threats and damaging property.

Public defender Tyler Hedin said he does not condone his client's behavior but asked the public to take a hard look at the state's sex offender system. The indefinite commitment process allows the state, with a judge's approval, to hold offenders well beyond after their criminal sentence is fulfilled. It is considered a treatment program, but very few clients have been successfully discharged back into the community.

"We shouldn’t have a situation where there are more staff getting assaulted than there are people graduating the program," Hedin said.

Aron-Jones claimed he was called "disrespectful names" and that staff joked about how "dying was the only way to graduate" the program. While he briefly apologized to Agurkis, he indicated clients have been left disgruntled at MSOP.

"I'm serving an indefinite sentence for something I did as a juvenile, as a kid," Aron-Jones said. "My family is hurting. My mother is hurting. I’ve got to live with it every day."

Aron-Jones will need to serve at least two-thirds of the term, a little over 11 years, before he is eligible for release from prison. However, he is likely to face a return to MSOP.

Chief Deputy Carlton County Attorney Jeff Boucher said he hopes Aron-Jones "will rethink his response to the circumstances and choose the opportunity to be rehabilitated."

"He nearly killed a staff person who had done him no wrong," Boucher said. "This calls for the most significant sentence."

Judge Amy Lukasavitz echoed the prosecutor's comments and said Agurkis was "just doing his job."

"I appreciate that you have taken responsibility," she told Aron-Jones. "But you hurt someone and their family. I don't know that two wrongs make a right in this case."

Another serious attack happened at Moose Lake in 2019, when sex offender George Mack Jr. used a razor blade to slash the throat of clinician Zachary Campbell. Officials described that as "one of the most serious attacks" in the program's history, and it resulted in Mack receiving the statutory maximum of 20 years in prison for attempted murder.

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