Matthew Lee Rainey, 46, had a felony second degree assault charge dismissed and a gross misdemeanor malicious punishment of a child was stayed after he met his requirements to cooperate in his child protection case.

Rainey’s case stems from a Jan. 14 incident, where he was accused of threatening his family with a knife.

Rainey’s charge of malicious punishment of a child was stayed on the conditions that he has no same or similar charges and that he remain law abiding, prosecutors said.

He was charged with $100 in fines.

Calvin Leroy Fleischacker Jr, 44, Staples, was charged as a fugitive from justice, March 3.

According to the complaint, on Sept. 1, 2015, a circuit judge in Florida issued a warrant for his arrest in connection with an attempted sexual battery.

Also according to the criminal complaint, Fleischacker was a passenger in a vehicle that was stopped on Highway 10, March 3, and allegedly told the officer his name was Dave, but allegedly later admitted to being Calvin.

Fleischacker was arrested for the active warrant and taken to Morrison County Jail.

Investigators allegedly to attempted to take a statement from Fleischacker on March 4, and Fleischacker allegedly admitted his name and date of birth are the same as the person in the warrant, but didn’t comment further.

If convicted, Fleischacker would be sent back to Florida.

Morrison County Sheriff Shawn Larsen reports that arrest warrants were issued for the following people. Those with information as to the whereabouts of anyone on the list, are asked to contact the Morrison County Sheriff’s Office at (320) 632-9233 or toll-free at 1 (866) 401-1111, ext. 180. The warrants were issued March 2 – 14.

•Joshua Paul Barron, Hampton.

•Starla Skye Eagle, Little Falls.

•Wyatt Erwin Jacobs, Pine River.

•Eusebio Juarez-Gallardo, Swanville.

•Zachary Donn Miller, Little Falls.

•Macenzie Lee Olson, Little Falls.

Hamia Steven Boos, 19, Bemidji, was recently charged in Morrison County Court for one count of felony fifth degree controlled substance possession, one gross misdemeanor count of giving a peace office a false name of another person and a misdemeanor count of violating a no contact order.

According to the criminal complaint, Boos was the passenger in a vehicle that was pulled over in Motley, March 9, for speeding and a non-functioning brake light.

When the officer asked for the passenger’s name, he allegedly gave the officer a name that came back clean, however, the officer alleged that the license photo did not match the appearance of Boos.

In his search of the driver, the officer saw that she had an order of protection that prevented her from having contact with Boos, and the photograph of Boos on the order appeared to match the passenger in the stopped vehicle.

The officer asked the passenger to exit the vehicle and he allegedly admitted to being Boos. He was then placed under arrest for giving a false name, and possible violation of an order for protection.

During a search of the vehicle, the officer allegedly found two marijuana pipes and a small baggie containing a pill in the glove box.

Boos allegedly stated that he received the pill from his uncle, and that it was methadone. That was later confirmed, and the schedule II controlled substance can’t be possessed without a valid prescription.

If convicted, Boos could serve five years in prison and/or pay a $10,000 fine for the felony possession count.

He faces a year in jail and/or $3,000 fine for giving a false name, and 90 days in jail and/or $1,000 fine for violating the no contact order.

Gabriel Steven Iserman, 39, and Sheila Rae Brown, 43, Garrison, were both charged with check forgery with the intent to defraud on a value between $250 and $2,500.

According to the criminal complaint, the alleged check forgery began when Iserman opened a checking account at a Pierz bank, and allegedly deposited $50, Jan. 15.

The following day, Brown allegedly pulled through the drive through and requested to deposit a $400 check into Iserman’s account.

The day after that, both Iserman and Brown allegedly came back to the bank drive through and requested and received $400 from Iserman’s account.

On Jan. 19, Iserman and Brown allegedly came back through the drive through and asked the teller to cash a $700 check, requesting $600 in cash and the rest deposited into his account.

Iserman and Brown were both identified by their driver’s licenses and through bank security video.

The person that allegedly had written the checks cashed by Brown and Iserman alleged that the checks were stolen and the signature was forged.

The victim signed affidavits of forgery, and the criminal complaint states that “it is readily apparent” that the victim’s signatures “bear no resemblance to the signature on the checks that were cashed,” by the defendants.

If convicted, both Iserman and Brown face five years in prison and/or a $10,000 fine.

Robert James Dunham Devereaux, 33, Swanville, was convicted of three felonies in Morrison County District Court, Wednesday.

Devereaux was convicted of fourth degree assault of a police officer, receiving stolen property and fifth degree possession.

The convictions stemmed from a pair of incidents.

The possession charge was an amended charge after Devereaux was convicted of possession, Feb. 3, from an Aug. 20, 2015, incident, where Devereaux was found with meth on him.

The assault charge and receiving stolen property charge were from a Feb. 17 incident where Devereaux was approached by an officer after falling asleep at a gas station in Swanville.

The officer noticed Devereaux appeared paranoid with glossy eyes and severely dilated pupils. The officer also detected a marijuana odor and observed a pipe in plain view.

Devereaux was asked to leave the vehicle and take off all of the several knives on his person. He then refused to take sobriety tests. After an attempt was made to arrest Devereaux, he took off and the officer pursued him.

The officer eventually caught Devereaux and the pair struggled as Devereaux resisted arrest.

After handcuffing Devereaux, two more knives were located and removed from his pocket.

The officer was later taken to a hospital for injuries which included a scratched eye and abrasions on his hands and knees.

The vehicle Devereaux was found in was later discovered to be stolen out of Benton County.

Approximately 34 edged weapons and knife sharpening tools were taken from the vehicle as evidence.

Devereaux was sentenced to 17 months in prison and ordered to pay $135 in fines for assaulting the officer, 21 months for receiving stolen property and 15 months and ordered to pay $185 in fines for the possession charge. All sentences are set to be served concurrently.

Devereaux had the misdemeanor count of fleeing a peace officer dismissed as part of a plea bargain.

Daniel Eugene Gohman-Bahner, 22, Little Falls, was charged with first degree criminal sexual conduct with a person under 13 and an actor more than than 36 months older.

According to the criminal complaint, on Jan. 5, the Little Falls Police Department received a report of a possible criminal sexual complaint involving a juvenile victim.

A resident reported that she saw Gohman-Bahner had been arrested for criminal sexual conduct with a minor and realized that he had been staying at a house that the resident’s child had been left for babysitting.

An investigation alleged that Gohman-Bahner’s relatives babysat for the victim during the spring/summer of 2015, when the victim was 7 years old.

The victim allegedly reported to investigators that Gohman-Bahner “was doing something very bad” during the time of the babysitting when everyone else was asleep.

A second interview with the victim was recorded with audio and visual equipment by investigators.

The victim again allegedly being touched in a bad way by Gohman-Bahner.

The victim allegedly confirmed being babysat at the residence and that the incidents happened in the living room after everyone else was asleep.

If convicted, Gohman-Bahner faces 30 years in prison and/or a $40,000 fine.

Lance David Pillard, 19, Brooten, was charged in Morrison County Court with first degree criminal sexual conduct with a victim under 16 years of age.

According to the criminal complaint the Stearns County Sheriff’s Office received a report that Pillard was detained by his probation officer.

The probation officer allegedly found pornographic images of Pillard and a female that allegedly appeared to be a juvenile.

The victim was identified, and had turned 16 in October 2015. The videos that allegedly showed Pillard and the victim engaging in sexual conduct were dated Sept. 14, 2015.

The meta data collected from the phone’s GPS alleged that the videos were taken in Pierz.

The Pierz Police Department took over the investigation and found that Pillard had allegedly lived with the victim and her mother from Sept. 5 to Oct. 7, 2015, but had not been back since.

The Pierz police interviewed the victim, who said that she met Pillard at a party in May and that two or three months later allegedly had sexual relations with him numerous times.

If convicted, Pillard faces 30 years in prison and/or a $40,000 fine.

Two women from the  Twin Cities area, were arrested Thursday, March 24, in Little Falls, by officers of the Central Minnesota Violent Offender Task Force.

At about 4 p.m., officers found Jamie Tapia-Morrow, 30, Brooklyn Park and Sara Harrison, 28, Minneapolis, near a gas station on the east side of Little Falls.

Tapia-Morrow was arrested after allegedly selling a large quantity of meth and several prescription drugs to an individual in the city of Little Falls.

Harrison, in the vehicle with Tapia-Morrow, was allegedly in possession of about 14 grams of methamphetamine.

Also in the vehicle were five children under the age of 18. Law enforcement officers discovered that during the operation, the adults were allegedly using the children to help in the sale of drugs. All five children were placed in protective custody.

Tapia-Morrow and Harrison are being held at the Morrison County Jail pending formal charges of first degree drug sales, second-degree possession and child endangerment.

The Central Minnesota Violent Offender Task Force was assisted by the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, Paul Bunyan Drug Task Force, Morrison County Sheriff’s Office and the Little Falls Police Department.

Morrison County Sheriff Shawn Larsen said his office received a call of a vehicle theft in the city of Flensburg. The theft occurred sometime between 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, March 30, and 7:30 a.m., Thursday, March 31.

The vehicle that was stolen, similar to the one pictured, was a white 2013 Ford Fusion four-door sedan, with Minnesota License plate 608-MKR. The vehicle contained two child car seats and the keys were not with the vehicle at the time of the theft.

Larsen encourages residents to be on the lookout and to contact the Morrison County Sheriff’s Office at (320) 632-9233 with any information regarding this theft.

A Little Falls man was arrested Monday, as the result of a 1 1/2-year investigation by the Central Minnesota Violent Offender Task Force. Several search warrants have been conducted over the last 1 1/2 years in the Stearns County area, resulting in the seizure of large quantities of methamphetamine. During these investigations, officers spoke with several people involved and identified the same supplier of the methamphetamine.

The supplier was identified as Jose Eduardo Torres-Ortiz, 26, of Little Falls.

Commander Steve Soyka  with the Central Minnesota Violent Offender Task Force said officers investigated Torres-Ortiz for several months using surveillance and information gathering. During this time it was determined that Torres-Ortiz was a multiple pound supplier of methamphetamine. Officers established probable cause to arrest Torres-Ortiz for controlled substance related crimes and went to a family home in the city of Little Falls to arrest him.

Torres-Ortiz was located at the home of a relative at 200 Fifth St. SW in Little Falls and a subsequent search warrant was conducted at the residence. During the course of this search, officers located approximately 1 ½ pounds of methamphetamine and approximately $9,000 cash. Officers also located 14 empty one-gallon zip lock bags believed to have at one time contained up to 15 pounds of methamphetamine.

Torres-Ortiz was transported to the Morrison County Jail and booked for first degree possession of controlled substance charges. Other family members present in the residence will not be charged, Commander Soyka reports. Torres-Ortiz faces possible charges in Stearns County also for various controlled substance crimes committed there.

The Central Minnesota Violent Offender Task Force was assisted in this investigation by the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, the Morrison County Sheriff and Sauk Centre Police Department K-9 units, the Stearns County Sheriff’s Office, and the Little Falls Police Department. The task force is comprised of officers from the Little Falls, St. Cloud and Sauk Rapids Police Departments, along with deputies from the Stearns, Benton, Sherburne, Todd and Morrison counties.

The Morrison County Sheriff’s Office took four people into custody Thursday, April 14, when attempting to find a woman who had a felony warrant.

Sheriff Shawn Larsen at about 12:30 a.m.,deputies responded to the address of 23558 Wanderland Drive, just west of Pierz in Agram Township, to attempt to locate Tammy Field, 47, of Pierz, who was wanted on two Morrison County felony body only warrants.

The deputies made contact with multiple individuals at the residence and drugs were later located. Multiple arrests were made on scene and a search warrant for the residence was prepared and later executed.

The Sheriff’s Office reported that John Held, 52, of Little Falls was arrested at the residence on a fifth-degree controlled substance charge as well as a Hennepin County misdemeanor warrant.

Also arrested was Field, on two warrants for controlled substances. Kevin Schenian, 48, Pierz was arrested for aiding an offender and obstructing legal process. Stefan Tucker, 42, Little Falls, was arrested for a Stearns County misdemeanor warrant.

During the execution of the search warrant, approximately two grams of methamphetamine and a felony amount of marijuana were seized.

The case has been forwarded to the Morrison County Attorney’s Office pending preparation of formal charges.

Larsen said these arrests stem from a drug tip which was passed on to their office. Larsen wants to remind residents to continue reporting suspicious activity to include short term vehicle traffic. The phone number to the Sheriff’s Office is (320) 632-9233.

The Morrison County Sheriff’s Office was assisted at the scene by the Pierz Police Department, Little Falls Police Department and the Central Minnesota Violent Offender Task Force.

A woman standing on the Soo Line railroad overpass south of Little Falls of Highway 10, appeared to want to jump, Monday.

Morrison County Sheriff Shawn Larsen said the call came in about 3:34 p.m. that an adult female was on the Soo Line and  was on the railing looking down like she wanted to jump.

Officers responded to the overpass on Hwy. 10, shut down traffic and after a short negotiation the woman was removed safely. There are no charges or injuries stemming from this incident.

The Morrison County Sheriff’s Office was assisted at the scene by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, Minnesota State Patrol, Royalton Police Department and Gold Cross Ambulance.

2016 Traffic Fatalities a Cause for Concern

Imagining bright futures and making lasting memories came to an unexpected end for the family and friends of 100 people since Jan. 1 in Minnesota. That’s how many people died in traffic crashes in the first 120 days of 2016, according to preliminary information from the Minnesota Department of Public Safety Office of Traffic Safety (DPS-OTS).

The numbers represent lives lost and shattered dreams for many families. Recent traffic deaths include:

• A 35-year-old Hastings man riding a motorcycle. Alcohol was detected and the rider was not wearing a helmet.

• A 25-year-old Kensington man who was reportedly to be speeding, distracted and under the influence of alcohol.
• A 14-year-old Hillman teen who was riding a dirt bike and rear-ended a tractor.

Of the 100 fatalities reported to date, there were six motorcyclists, 12 pedestrians and one bicyclist.

The state reached 100 deaths on April 29 last year.

 Make Focusing on the Road a Priority   

The 411 traffic deaths in 2015 marked the first time in five years that road fatalities passed the 400 mark. While Minnesota is on pace to reach or surpass that same number in 2016, safe driving behaviors can go a long way in keeping drivers and passengers safe on the road.

Four driving behaviors continue to play a significant role in lives lost on Minnesota roads. In 2015:

• Distracted driving contributed to 74 deaths.
• Speed contributed to 78 deaths.
• Drunk driving resulted in 95 deaths.
• Lack of seat belt contributed to 91 deaths.

Minnesota Traffic Fatalities

 “How many times have you looked down at your phone, went too fast because you were late for an appointment, told yourself you were okay to drive because you only had a few beers or decided not to buckle up because you weren’t going that far,” said Donna Berger, Office of Traffic Safety director. “Now ask yourself, is doing any of that worth dying for and leaving your loved ones with a lifetime of grief? By recommitting ourselves to safe driving habits, we can join together in making our roads safe everyone.”

About the Minnesota Department Public Safety
The Minnesota Department of Public Safety (DPS) comprises 11 divisions where 2,100 employees operate programs in the areas of law enforcement, crime victim assistance, traffic safety, alcohol and gambling, emergency communications, fire safety, pipeline safety, driver licensing, vehicle registration and emergency management. DPS activity is anchored by three core principles: education, enforcement and prevention.

 About the Office of Traffic Safety
The Minnesota Department of Public Safety Office of Traffic Safety (DPS-OTS) designs, implements and coordinates federally funded traffic safety enforcement and education programs to improve driver behaviors and reduce the deaths and serious injuries that occur on Minnesota roads. DPS-OTS also administers state funds for the motorcycle safety program and for the child seats for needy families program.

DPS-OTS is an anchoring partner of the state’s Toward Zero Deaths (TZD) traffic safety program. A primary vision of the TZD program is to create a safe driving culture in Minnesota in which motorists support a goal of zero road fatalities by practicing and promoting safe and smart driving behavior. TZD focuses on the application of four strategic areas to reduce crashes – education, enforcement, engineering, and emergency medical and trauma response.

 Recent DPS-OTS Activity and Statistics

• More than 30 Minnesota organizations joined the Department of Public Safety and statewide law enforcement in calling for employees and all drivers to choose safety over texting and to eliminate distracted driving.
• “Locked Up: A DWI Booking,” gives you an inside look at the DWI booking process. Being arrested for a DWI involves more than just getting a ticket.

Morrison County Attorney Brian Middendorf and his staff have filed gross misdemeanor complaints against the following people:

•Chad Michael Webeck, 43, Little Falls — In connection with an April 23 incident, Webeck has been charged with two counts of DWI.

•Mark Leo Casey, 49, Little Falls — In connection with an April 25 incident, Casey has been charged with two counts of DWI.

•Cornell Thomas Crider, 20, Sauk Rapids — In connection with an April 20 incident, Crider has been charged with one count of obstructing legal process with force, one count of giving a peace officer the false name of another person and one count of crimes against a railroad – trespass or allow animals on track, yard or bridge.

If found guilty, they could face a maximum penalty of one year in jail and/or a $3,000 fine.

The court will set their appearance dates.

The following people, charged with a gross misdemeanor or misdemeanor level crime in Morrison County District Court, have recently been sentenced:

Gross Misdemeanors

•Charles Dennis Josephson, 41, Royalton; (offense: 7/18/15) introducing contraband, such as drugs/liquor in jail/lock-up or prison, fined $135, sentenced to 35 days in jail and supervised probation for two years.

Misdemeanors

•Michael John Scholtes, 45, Little Falls; (offense: 10/13/15) obstructing legal process with force, fined $185, sentenced to 45 days in jail and supervised probation for two years.

•Edward Michael Bartle, 68, Cushing; (offense: 3/22/2016) DWI, fined $565, sentenced to one day in jail and supervised probation for two years.

•Cody Allen Mayer, 24, Cushing; (offense: 3/21/16) damage to property, fined $135, sentenced to 37 days in jail.

April 21 — A resident on East Broadway reported a scam.

April 21 — A business on 11th Street Northeast reported a scam in which a FAX was sent requesting $496.95 for one year and $779.95 for two years of Yellow Pages, Facebook and Twitter features. However, the Yellow Pages address was listed as being in Bulgaria.

April 22 — A resident on First Street Southeast reported a scam in which someone was calling stating they were from the IRS and leaving threatening messages.

April 22 — Someone broke into an unoccupied guest house at a location on Highland Avenue. The door frame had been damaged.

April 22 — A resident on First Avenue Southeast reported a scam in which a caller saying they were from the U.S. Government Social Security office requested the resident’s personal information such as age and date of birth.

April 27 — A business on First Avenue Northeast reported a theft.

Dylan David LaPointe, 26, Upsala, was charged with a felony count of domestic assault and a misdemeanor count of obstructing the legal process with force.

The charges stem from an April 28 incident in which Morrison County Sheriff officers were called to a report of a domestic dispute in Upsala.

According to the criminal complaint, deputies arrived to find LaPointe and his girlfriend as the two parties in dispute. Officers were asked by the victim, who allegedly stated that she was fearful of LaPointe, to remove him from the residence. Deputies spoke with LaPointe and he agreed to leave.

Approximately a half an hour later deputies were called back to the residence as a report of LaPointe returning and being violent was alleged.

Deputies found LaPointe at the entry of the residence, and told him he would be arrested for domestic assault.

As a deputy attempted to handcuff LaPointe, he allegedly began to resist, flailing his arm and causing the handcuffs to go flying. After a further struggle, one deputy deployed a taser to subdue LaPointe, at which point he was successfully handcuffed.

Deputies then took statements from the victim and witnesses who alleged that LaPointe had made threats which caused them to fear for their safety.

In addition, witnesses alleged that LaPointe damaged a bathroom cupboard and a shelf.

LaPointe was previously convicted for felony domestic assault by strangulation in 2008, and two misdemeanor assaults in 2012.

If convicted, LaPointe faces a maximum of five years in prison and/or $10,000 in fines for the felony domestic assault charge, and a maximum of one year in jail and/or $3,000 in fines for the misdemeanor obstruction charge.

Tammy Katherine Field, 47, Pierz, was charged with one felony count of fifth degree possession of methamphetamine in Morrison County District Court.

The charge stems from an April 14 incident in which officers obtained a warrant to search the home in which Field lived with her boyfriend.
According to the criminal complaint, officers allegedly found drugs and drug paraphernalia during that search, which included a rolled up $1 bill that contained white powder inside. That powder field tested positive for meth.

Field allegedly later taped a statement in pursuant to Miranda, which she allegedly admitted that the substance found in the dollar bill was hers for personal use. She also allegedly stated she did not sell drugs, but that she was a social user.

Field has a prior conviction for a controlled substance from Morrison County in 2007.

If convicted, Field faces a maximum of 10 years in prison and/or $20,000 in fines.

Morrison County Attorney Brian Middendorf and his staff have filed gross misdemeanor complaints against the following person:

•Curtis Daniel Venske, 37, Little Falls — In connection with an April 30 incident, Venske has been charged with two counts of DWI.

If found guilty, he could face a maximum penalty of one year in jail and/or a $3,000 fine.

The court will set his appearance date.