Paper trail leads to arrest of Milaca man accused of theft

Ryan Dale Stewart, 32, Milaca, was charged with one felony count of attempted theft in Morrison County District Court.
The charge stems from a May 1 incident in which a victim contacted the Morrison County Sheriff’s Office to report that he caught someone attempting to steal a snowmobile trailer from his property.
According to the criminal complaint, the victim approached the suspect to ask what he was doing, and the suspect allegedly stated he had permission to take the trailer.
The victim stated that he was the property owner, and he gave nobody permission, and also stated that the suspect would not give him a straight answer of who he was or why he was there.
The victim asked the suspect to write down a name, address and phone number, and he gave a false name to the victim along with a Mora address and a phone number.
The victim later found out that the information was not accurate, but noticed on the paper document was a medical appointment for a person named Ryan Dale Stewart, the defendant.
Officers produced a driver’s license photo of Stewart, which was positively identified by the victim.
On May 10, Stewart was located by the Mille Lacs Police Department, and was transported to Morrison County Jail.
If convicted, Stewart faces a maximum of 2 1/2 years in prison and/or $5,000 in fines.