Morrison County Sheriff Shawn Larsen reports that Tuesday, March 10, the Morrison County SWAT Team and Investigators with the Central Minnesota Violent Offender Task Force executed a search warrant at the address of 9437 Emerald Road, Randall. The residence belongs to Brice Hermsen.

During the search officers located approximately 60 marijuana plants in a grow operation, along with several items of paraphernalia, and items associated and related to the growing and manufacturing of marijuana. Also located during the search warrant was a large tub containing dried marijuana.

Larsen said 11 firearms were also recovered from the residence. Taken into custody was Hermsen, 29, of Randall.

Investigators with the Central Minnesota Violent Offender Task Force were assisted in the search warrant by the Morrison County SWAT Team, including officers from Little Falls Police Department and Deputies from Morrison County Sheriff’s Office. The Minnesota State Patrol, along with the Minnesota State Patrol Aviation Division, Gold Cross Ambulance and Randall Fire Department also assisted.

Investigators learned of the grow operation through a joint investigation with the Hennepin County Violent Offender Task Force.

Hermsen was transported to the Morrison County Jail where he will be held pending preparation of formal charges by the Morrison County Attorney’s Office.

Eric James Meintsma, 34, Little Falls, was charged March 2, with one felony count of second-degree burglary and one felony count of theft of a motor vehicle.

According to the criminal complaint, on Aug. 18, 2014, a burglary was reported in Cushing Township in which an ATV valued at $3,500 was stolen from a garage and a residence was entered by force.

Officers discovered that the suspect had entered the residence by breaking a window and blood was found in the residence, suggesting that the suspect had been injured while breaking in.

A sample of the blood was obtained as evidence, and DNA testing allegedly matched a known DNA sample belonging to Meintsma.

Law enforcement records indicate that Meintsma had lived in the area during the time that the burglary occurred and that he has previous criminal convictions for theft and burglary in multiple counties and is currently in the Sherburne County Jail.

If convicted, Meintsma faces up to 10 years imprisonment and/or a $20,000 fine for the burglary and up to five years imprisonment and/or a $10,000 fine for the theft.

Paul Michael Nieman, 24, Little Falls, was charged March 4 with one felony count of violating a no contact order and one felony count of aiding an offender on probation or parole.

According to the criminal complaint, on March 2, Nieman was scheduled to appear in court for a jury trial regarding a charge of domestic assault from December 2013. Nieman appeared in court, but the victim did not. Officers were assigned to conduct a welfare check on the victim, and found her vehicle at Nieman’s residence. Law enforcement was informed that the residence had a false wall concealing a hiding space, and that there was an active felony arrest warrant for the victim.

Nieman allegedly told officers repeatedly that the victim was not in the residence and declined to allow them to search the residence.

Officers then executed a search warrant and allegedly discovered the victim hiding behind a false wall. The victim allegedly told officers that she had been periodically been living with Nieman. She allegedly stated that she was aware that she had an arrest warrant and that Nieman had brought her to the residence and knew that she was there.

If convicted, Nieman faces five years imprisonment and/or a $10,000 for violating the no contact order and three years imprisonment and/or a $5,000 fine for aiding an offender.

Shane Leigh Blenker, 20, Albany was charged March 5 with one felony count of theft of a motor vehicle, one gross misdemeanor count of interfering with an emergency call and one misdemeanor count of domestic assault.

According to the criminal complaint, on Nov. 9, 2014, Morrison County law enforcement received a report of an assault from a neighbor who allegedly witnessed the incident.

Officers met with the neighbor, who allegedly said that she had heard the female victim crying for help and being hit. The witness allegedly observed Blenker driving away from the scene.

Officers spoke to the victim, who was allegedly very upset, appeared disoriented and had black eyes and bruising on her arm. The victim alleged that she had argued with Blenker and Blenker had hit her in the face and grabbed her by the arms. When the victim attempted to call 911, Blenker allegedly took the phone away to prevent the call.

Blenker then allegedly left the scene in a motor vehicle that did not belong to him and which he did not have permission to use.

If convicted, Blenker faces up to 10 years imprisonment and/or a $20,000 fine for the felony, one year in jail and/or a $3,000 fine for the gross misdemeanor and 90 days in jail and/or a $1,000 fine for the misdemeanor.

Keri Melea Pitman, 27, Little Falls, was charged March 10, with one felony count of theft of hydrocodone, a Schedule II controlled substance.

According to the criminal complaint, on Feb. 3, a local pharmacy reported a theft of narcotics. A loss prevention officer of the pharmacy told police that a surveillance video from Jan. 22 allegedly showed Pitman, a pharmacy technician at the business, stealing 120 hydrocodone pills and 100 glucose drug test strips, worth a total of $264.

Pitman allegedly admitted in a statement that she had scanned a prescription order for the items and taken them. She allegedly stated she did not need the test strips, but needed the hydrocodone because she was in pain and her doctor would not prescribe enough medication.

Pitman allegedly said she had ingested four of the pills, but claimed her fiance had flushed the rest down the toilet. Her fiance was contacted by police and allegedly denied having seen the pills.

If convicted, Pitman faces up to 10 years imprisonment and/or a $20,000 fine.

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

•Jose Javier Rodriguez, 41, Blooming Prairie — In connection with a March 6 incident, Rodriguez has been charged with two counts of third degree DWI.

•Phillip Michael Johnson, 45, Little Falls — In connection with a March 7 incident, Johnson has been charged with one count of fourth degree assault – physically assaulting a peace offer and one count of obstructing legal process with force.

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

The court will set their appearance dates.

Ian Michael Strempke, 26, Little Falls, was charged Feb. 27 with one felony count of check forgery.

According to the criminal complaint, on Jan. 9, the Little Falls Police Department received a report of check forgery. The victim alleged that she used to be in a relationship with Strempke and Strempke had allegedly been forging checks in her name without her permission or authorization.

Copies of the nine allegedly forged checks, totaling $744, were collected for evidence. All the checks were written between December 2014 and January 2015 and were written out to people that the victim alleged are friends with Strempke.

The victim allegedly stated that she had confronted Strempke about the checks and that Strempke had allegedly threatened and assaulted her in response.

Strempke is currently facing charges of second-degree assault connected to that incident.

If convicted, Strempke faces up to 10 years imprisonment and/or a $20,000 fine.

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

Misdemeanors

•Annie Jo Granroos, 37, Red Lake; (offense: 2/24/14) DWI – operate a motor vehicle under influence of controlled substance, fined $135, sentenced to 30 days in jail and supervised probation for one year.

• Daniel Lee Evans, Sr., 64, Elk River; (offense: 2/8/15) DWI, fined $560, supervised probation for two years.

•James Ronald Pella, 61, Pierz; (offense: 1/17/15) disorderly conduct, fined $185.

•Justin Jacob Tranberg, 29, Motley, DWI, fined $560 and supervised probation for two years.

•Gary Ray Samuel Wells, 22, Duplessis, La.; (offense: 8/1/14) traffic – careless driving (mandatory court if accident or injury), fined $385.

Katie Ann Pyka, 30, Rice, was charged March 2, with one felony count of theft of oxycodone, a Schedule II controlled substance.

According to the criminal complaint, on Oct. 13, 2014, a Little Falls pharmacy reported a theft of narcotics.

The manager of the pharmacy stated that a review of daily and monthly pill counts had showed significant losses of narcotic pills.

Store surveillance videos from Sept. 2, 2014, allegedly show Pyka filling a prescription for oxycodone. In the video, Pyka allegedly left some of the oxycodone pills on the counting tray and later placed them in her pocket.

An officer arrived on scene to speak with Pyka, who was employed at the business as a pharmacy technician. Pyka allegedly admitted that she stole two to four oxycodone pills from the pharmacy in September 2014. Pyka allegedly stated she was in a lot of pain and her own prescription had run out.

If convicted, Pyka faces up to five years imprisonment and/or a $10,000 fine.

March 6 — A resident on Bear Road in Cushing reported someone had used their name and Social Security Number fraudulently, by filing their incomes taxes using the resident’s information.

March 8 — A resident on Sunrise Lane in Hillman reported hearing rifle shots near their home.

March 8 — Someone scratched and damaged two vehicles while they were parked at the owner’s residence on 150th Avenue, Little Falls.

March 9 — A resident on Highway 25 in Pierz reported a theft.

Tracie Lee Allen, 44, Randall, was charged March 2, with one felony count of theft.

According to the criminal complaint, in October 2014, the owner of a Morrison County gas station contacted law enforcement to report repeated thefts by an employee.

With an officer present, the owner confronted Allen about stealing cash from the safe and till, filling up her personal vehicle with gas without paying for it and stealing groceries and scratch-off tickets from the store. Allen allegedly admitted she had done all of the above, and estimated the total value of stolen goods to be around $1,200.

The owner of the store later provided officers with a summary of the thefts which occurred between August and October, 2014, based on surveillance video. The total value of stolen cash and property calculated from this account was approximately $2,620.33.

If convicted, Allen faces up to five years imprisonment and/or a $5,000 fine.

Samuel Cabildo Nicolas Jr., 35, Little Falls, was charged March 2, with one felony count of check forgery.

According to the criminal complaint, on Jan. 27, someone reported to the Little Falls Police Department that they had been the victim of check forgery. The victim stated that his bank had informed him that Nicolas had allegedly been forging checks from his account and cashing them. The victim had copies of four checks to Nicolas cashed between December 2014 and January 2015 for a total amount of $1,525, which the victim allegedly denied writing. Nicolas allegedly admitted writing the checks, but said the victim had given him permission to do so and had stood next to him as he wrote out all four checks.

The victim allegedly denied this account, claiming that he did not give permission nor was he present when the checks were written. The victim stated he believed Nicolas stole his checkbook in November 2014.

If convicted, Nicolas faces up to 10 years imprisonment and/or a $20,000 fine.

The Minnesota Supreme Court has denied a motion made by the Star Tribune, a metro area newspaper, regarding the possible closing of the courtroom during Byron Smith’s trial in April 2014.

Smith, Little Falls, was convicted of two counts of first-degree premeditated murder after he shot and killed Nicholas Brady and Haile Kifer in 2012, when they broke into his home Thanksgiving Day.

Smith’s case is under appeal. The court will allow the newspaper to refile its motion if the issue of the courtroom being closed is raised during Smith’s appeal.

Two people were arrested in Little Falls for possessing and selling methamphetamine.

Morrison County Sheriff Shawn Larsen reported that Friday, March 13, at approximately 7:20 a.m., investigators with the Central Minnesota Violent Offender Task Force executed a search warrant at 504 8^th St SW, in the city of Little Falls.

The Morrison County SWAT Team was also used during the search warrant to enter and secure the residence. During entry into the residence, the SWAT team deployed several distraction devices in and around the residence that caused several loud explosive sounds. No shots were fired during the search warrant.

The search warrant is the result of a several months of investigation by Investigators with the Morrison County Sheriff’s Office and Little Falls Police Department that are assigned to the Violent Offender Task Force. The investigation revealed that methamphetamine was being sold out of the residence on a regular basis.

Sheriff Larsen stated the owner of the property, Christopher Michael Mock, age 32 of Little Falls was arrested for possession and sales of methamphetamine.

Also arrested was Monica Kathleen Humphrey, age 46, of Sauk Rapids. Humphrey was arrested for possession of methamphetamine.

The Central Minnesota Violent Offender Task Force and the Morrison County SWAT Team were assisted during the warrant by officers from the Morrison County Sheriff’s Office, Little Falls Police Department, Minnesota State Patrol, Gold Cross Ambulance, and the Little Falls Fire Department.

Kenneth Jedlicki, 55, Morrill Township, was convicted March 13 of one felony count of second-degree assault for holding a shotgun to a tow truck driver’s head and threatening to kill him, according to a press release from the Morrison County Attorney’s Office. A Morrison County jury deliberated for three hours and 40 minutes before returning the verdict.  Jedlicki was found not guilty of an additional count of felony second-degree assault.

On July 27, 2014, an employee and a tow truck driver of a repossession company arrived at Jedlicki’s property to repossess his vehicle. Jedlicki drove up as the car was being hooked to the tow truck and used his own pickup truck to block the tow truck. Jedlicki rushed past the employee, telling him “you’re dead.” The employee began to run. When the driver started to run, Jedlicki held a shotgun to his back and told him to get on his knees. Jedlicki ordered the employee to return or he would shoot the driver. When the employee did not move quickly enough, Jedlicki had the driver lay and the ground and put the barrel of the gun on the back of the driver’s head. Jedlicki told the employee that he would count to three and then shoot the driver unless he came back to where Jedlicki was standing over the driver. The employee and the driver eventually convinced Jedlicki to let them leave his property.

The trial began March 11 and included five witnesses for the state and two for the defense. Jedlicki testified in his own defense. Defense attorney Doug Carlson argued that Jedlicki was afraid for his own safety and was only defending his property. Assistant County Attorney Todd Kosovich argued that defense of property does not justify Jedlicki’s use of a shotgun.

“He crossed a line,” Kosovich told jurors, explaining that the defense of property had to be reasonable under the circumstances.

Jedlicki will be sentenced in April. Second-degree assault using a firearm has a mandatory sentence of 36 months in prison.

Kyle Anthony Kiley, 22, Upsala was charged March 11, with one felony count of fleeing a peace officer in a motor vehicle.

According to the criminal complaint, on Feb. 8, a law enforcement officer on routine patrol observed a vehicle travelling at a high rate of speed. Radar allegedly recorded the suspect vehicle traveling at 80 miles per hour in a 55 mile per hour zone.

The officer pursued the suspect vehicle with squad car lights and siren activated, however, the suspect vehicle began to accelerate. After about a mile, the vehicle drove off the road and into a small frozen creek, ending up in a ditch.

A suspect was allegedly observed leaving the vehicle, and was later identified as Kiley. Kiley was placed under arrest for fleeing and brought to the hospital for treatment of injuries suffered as a result of the car crash.

If convicted, Kiley faces up to three years and one day imprisonment and/or a $5,000 fine.

Tara Elene Weidenbach, 29, Little Falls, was charged March 12 with one felony count of wrongfully obtaining assistance in an amount more than $5,000.

According to the criminal complaint, on Nov. 20, 2014, a fraud prevention investigator reported to Morrison County law enforcement that Weidenbach had received benefits that she was not entitled to because she had falsely claimed to be pregnant.

Weidenbach had submitted a proof of pregnancy form to Morrison County Social Services that had allegedly been forged. The form was dated March 27, 2014, and purportedly signed by an employee of a clinic in Long Prairie. Law enforcement met with the employee whose signature was on the form, and the employee alleged that she did not meet with Weidenbach and was not even in the office on that date. The employee allegedly stated that her signature on the form was forged.

Information from Morrison County Social Services indicates Weidenbach received $2,403.28 in medical insurance assistance from July 2014 through August 2014, $1,857 in food assistance from May 2014 through October 2014 and $3,351 from February 2014 to October 2014, all of which she would not have been eligible for unless she was pregnant.

Weidenbach allegedly declined to give a statement.

If convicted, Weidenbach faces up to 10 years imprisonment and/or a $20,000 fine.

Monica Kathleen Humphrey, 46, Little Falls, was charged March 16, with one felony count of fifth-degree possession of methamphetamine.

According to the criminal complaint, on March 13, officers executed a search warrant on a residence in Little Falls, one of the bedrooms of which belonged to Humphrey. Officers allegedly found a Tupperware container with approximately two grams of methamphetamine inside. Also allegedly in the room were a metal tin containing drug paraphernalia and a notebook containing drug-related notes.

Humphrey allegedly admitted that the methamphetamine belonged to her and was for her own personal use. If convicted, Humphrey faces up to five years imprisonment and/or a $10,000 fine.

Travis James Waytashek, 19, Little Falls, was charged March 12 with one felony count of third-degree criminal sexual conduct involving a person between age 13 and 16 and more than 24 months younger than the perpetrator.

According to the criminal complaint, in February 2014 the Little Falls Police Department was contacted by a man who alleged that his daughter, a minor, had been impregnated by Waytashek, who is 39 months older than the victim.

The victim allegedly gave birth to a child in September 2014; based on this date, it was determined that the child was conceived in December 2013, when the victim was 14 years old and Waytashek was 18.

On March 8, 2014, the victim allegedly gave a statement in which she admitted that she was pregnant and Waytashek was the father. The victim stated that she and Waytashek had been dating for two years and had sex several times. She allegedly suspected she became pregnant in November 2013.

If convicted, Waytashek faces up to 15 years imprisonment and/or a $30,000 fine.

Debra Ann Isham, 52, Walker, was charged March 16, with one felony count of fifth-degree possession of oxycodone and hydrocodone.

According to the criminal complaint, on March 13 a trooper with the Minnesota State Patrol observed a driver on Highway 10 who did not appear to be wearing a seat belt. The trooper stopped the suspect vehicle and identified the driver as Isham. Isham allegedly admitted she did not have a valid driver’s license because it was suspect. When Isham opened the glove box to provide proof of insurance, the trooper observed in plain view a baggie of what appeared to be marijuana. It was later determined that this belonged to the passenger of the vehicle.

A subsequent search of the vehicle allegedly found a number of pills under the right passenger floor mat, several of which were identified as oxycodone and hydrocodone, Schedule II controlled substances which cannot be possessed without a prescription.

Isham allegedly admitted that the pills were hers and she did not have a valid prescription, but had bought them for $10 each from someone off the street.

If convicted, Isham faces up to five years imprisonment and/or a $10,000 fine.