Crime

Vandals Damage Hibbing Fire Trailer

Trailer is Used to Teach Area Kids Fire Safety

HIBBING, Minn. – Hibbing’s Fire Department is having trouble spreading its message of fire safety to area kids. Last winter someone broke into the fire department’s safety trailer, causing damage to the interior and exterior, and stole equipment used in fire safety presentations. Hibbing’s Fire Marshal says getting the trailer up and running again will cost between $3,000–5,000, but it’s…

2 Formally Charged in Duluth Apartment Drug Bust

Search warrant executed in the 100 block of N 30th Ave W

Tyjuan Hill (left) and Rachel Fenzel (right)Photo: St. Louis County DULUTH, Minn. – The Duluth Police Department reports that on Monday, May 8, the Lake Superior Drug and Violent Crime Task Force executed a search warrant at an apartment in the 100 block of North 30th Avenue West. The search warrant was a result of an investigation into the suspected…

Prosecutors Charged Man with Breaking into Wisconsin Capitol

Charged with criminal damage to property and entry into a locked building

MADISON, Wis. (AP) – Prosecutors have charged a Beloit man with breaking into the state Capitol. Twenty-seven-year-old Zachary Bigelow was charged Tuesday with criminal damage to property and entry into a locked building. According to a criminal complaint, police discovered a broken window in the first-floor of the Capitol bathroom and blood throughout the building Saturday morning. They found another…

Mother Pleads For Answers In Unsolved Hit and Run

Scott Christensen Was Killed Seven Months Ago

Seven months after losing her son, one Iron Range mother is hoping someone out there can help her find closure. Rita Licari wants answer about what happened to her son, Scott Christensen the night he died. Investigators say Christensen was hit and killed on Highway 100 near Aurora sometime before 4 a.m. Oct. 2 of 2016, but they still don’t…

Historic Canal Park Lighthouse Covered In Graffiti

Army Crorp Plans To Repaint The Lighthouse Tuesday

DULUTH, Minn. – The beacon of all lighthouses in Canal Park has been heavily defaced with loads of graffiti. This comes just as tourism season is beginning in the city of Duluth. The layers of black spray paint and marker could be found Monday all over the historic South Pier, which has the red roof and is down the pier…

Two Men Cited for Jumping into Giraffe Pen at Como Zoo

Photo: Como Zoo ST. PAUL, Minn. (FOX 9 KMSP) – Two 23-year-old men who were reportedly intoxicated scaled a fence and jumped into the giraffe exhibit at Como Zoo in St. Paul, Saturday afternoon. Officers were called to Como Zoo around 5:42 p.m. after security officers found the two men inside the exhibit. The men told police that they jumped…

Bill Would Create Exemption for Wisconsin Sex Offender Registry

MADISON, Wis. (AP) – A bipartisan proposal creates an exemption to Wisconsin’s sex offender registry for teenagers ages 15 to 18 who are convicted after having consensual sex. State law make sit a crime for two people under the age of 18 to have sexual contact, regardless of consent. Republican Rep. Joel Kleefisch and Democratic Representative Fred Kessler have written…

Search Warrants Can Now Be Processed Electronically in Minnesota

Since the electronic transition began in October, 2,121 warrant applications have been filed and processed

  ST. PAUL, Minn. – The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension announced the eSearch Warrant application, which is now available to law enforcement agencies statewide. “Before eSearch Warrants, a peace officer would write a search warrant application and then drive it to the judge for review, said BCA Superintendent Drew Evans. “Making this process electronic is particularly beneficial for after-hours…

Madison Man Convicted of Sex Trafficking

Evidence presented at trial showed he had been engaged in the conduct since 2010

Maurice Withers, 28 MADISON, Wis. – A jury reached a guilty verdict after less than three hours, following a four-day trial of a Madison man, who was involved in prostitution and sex trafficking. Attorney General Brad Schimel announced Friday, that Maurice Adonis Withers, 28, was found guilty on Thursday of six counts of sex trafficking and three counts of interstate…

Ex-School Official Charged in Sex Abuse Case in Wisconsin

LA CROSSE, Wis. (AP) – A former Catholic school administrator from western Wisconsin has been charged with enticing a teenager for sex. Court documents allege 59-year-old Steven Smolek told police he chatted online with a 16-year-old boy and met him while living in Mosinee in January 2015. Charges against Smolek include child enticement and sexual intercourse with a child. The…

Two Arrested in Duluth on Drug Sale Charges

DULUTH, Minn. – The Lake Superior Drug and Violent Crimes Task Force executed a search warrant on Monday May 1, at an apartment in the 2300 block of West 6th Street, as a result of an investigation into the sale of controlled substances. Numerous complaints from neighbors had been received by the LSDVCTF about short-term traffic and other suspicious activity…

Man Wanted in Connection to Death Investigation in Crookston

CROOKSTON, Minn. – The Crookston Police Department is seeking the public’s assistance in locating an individual who may have information related to a death investigation. Eddie Markeith Frazier is described as age 49, 6′ 4″ tall, 320 pounds, with black hair, and brown eyes. He is believed to be driving a silver 4-door 2001 Oldsmobile Aurora with Minnesota license plate…

Hermantown Man Receives 60 Year Prison Sentence for Sex Assault

Believed to be the longest durational sentence imposed for sex crimes since implementation of sentencing guidelines

  DULUTH, Minn. – A Hermantown man received a 60-year prison sentence today for sexually assaulting a pre-teen girl. It is believed to be the longest durational sentence for a sex crime in the county since the implementation of Minnesota sentencing guidelines in the early 1980s, according to St. Louis County Attorney Mark Rubin. In March, a St. Louis County…

Superior City Councilor Back in Court Today

Next Hearing is Scheduled for May 26

SUPERIOR, Wis.-Superior City Councilor Graham Garfield was in Douglas County Court today to face the four domestic abuse charges including one felony. Garfield was recently asked by Superior Mayor Jim Paine to resign from his post, but the councilor is refusing to do so, wanting the process to play out in the courts. The case relates back to an alleged…

Douglas County Sheriff Involved in 3 Car Crash

POPLAR, Wis. – The Douglas County Sheriff’s Office reports that a County Deputy was involved in a three car crash involving minor injuries. The incident happened Wednesday morning on U.S. Highway 2, according to authorities. Deputy Kris Witt Ā was westbound on USH 2 near Bayfield Road, west of Poplar,Ā when she pulled onto the shoulder to assist a disabled vehicle. A…

More than 1,000 Texting Citations Issued as Drivers Continue to Focus on Distractions

Over 72 citations handed out per day during the two week period

ST. PAUL, Minn. – From Snapchatting to shopping on Amazon while behind the wheel, more than 1,000 drivers made the choice to focus on activities other than driving during the statewide extra distracted enforcement period from April 10-23, according to the state Department of Public Safety. More than 300 agencies participated andĀ handed out 1,017 citations to drivers for texting while…

Man Sentenced for Role in Hit-and-Run Homicide in Gilbert

Will Get 67 Months in Prison

GILBERT, Minn.-A 57-year-old man was sentenced to 67 monthsĀ in jail today, for his role in a fatal hit-and-run in Gilbert in October of last year. Jeffrey Airhart hit 85-year-old Florence Mannelin with his vehicle on the 100 block of Broadway Avenue. After Airhart left the scene, the victim was taken to the hospital where she later died. Airhart has had…

Ex-Burnsville Teacher, Accused of Having Sex with Student, Arrested Again

DAKOTA COUNTY, Minn. (FOX 9) – A former Burnsville High School teacher accused of having sex with a 16-year-old student and sending nude selfies to another student is back in jail. Police arrested 29-year-old Erik Akervik for violating the conditions of his release. Akervik is currently charged with felony criminal sexual conduct in the third degree and felony electronic solicitation…

Half of Wisconsin Meth Labs Found in 2 Southern Counties

JANESVILLE, Wis. (AP) – Half of the nearly 30 methamphetamine labs identified by law enforcement in Wisconsin since October have been found in two southern counties. Data from the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Milwaukee office show Rock County had four labs while Walworth County had nine. Rock County sheriff’s Cmdr. Troy Knudson tells the Janesville Gazette that meth incidents are increasing…

Two Teens Turn Themselves in After Attempted Homicide Incident in Hinckley

Turned Themselves in Hennepin County

HINCKLEY, Minn.-Two 17-year-old girls have turned themselves in after allegedly being involved in an attempted murder in Hinckley Wednesday. Aseil Abuhamed and Tayah Thomas turned themselves in to Hennepin County authorities. The teens allegedly stabbed a man which left him with life-threatening injuries. Police are continuing to investigate the incident.   Categories: Crime, News, News – Latest News Tags: news…

Two Females Wanted After Attempted Homicide

Aseil Cynthia-Salema Abuhamed (left) and Tayah Valorios Thomas (right) PINE COUNTY, Minn. – The Pine County Sheriff’s Office is seeking the public’s assistance in locating two females who were involved in an attempted homicide in Hinckley. On Wednesday, April 26, Aseil Cynthia-Salema Abuhamed, 17 and Tayah Valorios Thomas, 17, stabbed a male victim, resulting in life-threatening injuries. Both fled the…

Garfield To Attend Superior Council Meeting Amid Charges

Councilor Has Yet To Make Any Public Statement Since April 21 Domestic Charges Filed

DULUTH, Minn. – There are new developments involving embattled Superior City Councilor Graham Garfield.Ā  FOX 21’s Dan Hanger learned Thursday that Garfield will be present a Tuesday’s city council meeting. This, as Garfield faces charges of domestic assault, and after Mayor Jim Paine called for his resignation from the council on Monday. The confirmation of Garfield’s plans to return to…

15-Year Sentence for Shooter at Black Lives Matter Protest

Allen Scarsella MINNEAPOLIS (AP) – A Minnesota man convicted in the shootings of five black men who were demonstrating against the police killing of a black man in Minneapolis has been sentenced to move than 15 years in prison. Allen Scarsella’s sentence on Wednesday was only a few months short of the prosecution’s request. The 25-year-old Bloomington man was convicted…

Fraud Case in Minnesota Stirs New Legal Ripples Years Later

Sherburne County Jail – File, Star Tribune ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) – Minnesota lawmakers are considering changing the rules on money that may be recovered for victims of businessman Tom Petters’ $3.7 billion Ponzi scheme. Minnesota Public Radio reports the change would limit the recovery of investment income earned by charitable or religious organizations that took gifts from Petters or…

Minnesota Couple Accused of Sexually Assaulting Teenage Girl

Michael and Heather Germain Photo: Goodhue County Sheriff’s Office GOODHUE, Minn. (AP) – A southeastern Minnesota couple is accused of sexually assaulting a teenage girl and trying to recruit her for a swinger’s lifestyle. Michael Lowell Germain, 43 and 49-year-old Heather Laverne Germain of Goodhue appeared in court Monday on charges including criminal sexual conduct and interfering with the privacy…

Two Juveniles Confess to Playground Fire

Juveniles Will Attend Class to Avoid Future Fire Starting Behavior

DULUTH, Minn.-Two juveniles have confessed to starting the fire and vandalizing the playground at Bay View Elementary School in the early hours of April 15. Both juveniles have agreed to attend the Duluth Fire Department FIRST (fire intervention referral safety team) class. Those classes provide educational intervention to ward off future fire-starting behavior for young people prone to that. Reports…

Man Extradited to Douglas County for Connection to New Years Homicide in Superior

SUPERIOR, Wis. – On January 9, 2017, an arrest warrant for Jamar Maurice Smith was issued in Douglas County, according to Douglas County District Attorney, Mark Fruehauf. Smith is being charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm and misdemeanor bail jumping in connection with an incident that occurred on New Years Day in Superior, Wisconsin outside the…

Missing Level 3 Sex Offender from Minnesota Found in California

Michael Costa MINNESOTA – Level III Predatory Offender, Michael James Costa was taken into custody in California over the weekend after he was no longer compliant with the conditions of his release, mid-April. Costa had been on a fugitive status after absconding from his supervised release in Rochester, Minnesota. He was arrested near Van Nuys, California after information led investigators…

Man Hospitalized After Stabbing

Incident Happened Downtown Friday Night

DULUTH, Minn. – Police responded to a downtown stabbing late Friday night. Police arrived in the area of Lake Avenue and Interstate 35 shortly before 11:00 p.m. and found 34 year old male with a stab wound. The man, who’s identity was not released, was taken to the hospital with unspecified injuries.Ā  There’s no update if he’s still in the…

Man Charged After Drug Bust in the 600 Block of E 6th St in Duluth

Search warrant executed on Wednesday, April 19

Arthur Barksdale DULUTH, Minn. – According to the Duluth Police Department, the Lake Superior Drug and Violent Crimes Task Force executed a search warrant at an apartment in the 600 block East 3rd Street and a motor vehicle on April 19, 2017. The search warrant was a result of an investigation into the suspected sale of controlled substances and ongoing…

3 Charged After Investigation into Drug Sales in Duluth

DULUTH, Minn. – The Lake Superior Drug and Violent Crimes Task Force (LSDVCTF) executed a search warrant on April 18, 2017 at an apartment in the 300 block of North 20th Avenue West, according to the Duluth Police Department. The search warrant was conducted as a result of an investigation into the sale of controlled substances, specifically heroin. During the…

Stabbing in Cloquet Leaves One Man Hospitalized, Suspect Still At-Large

CLOQUET, Minn. – Around 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, April 19, officers form the Cloquet Police Department responded to the Cloquet Community Memorial Hospital for a patient with two stab wounds to his abdomen and arm. Officers learned during their investigation that the 37-year-old male victim was in the 1800 block of Washington Avenue when the assault occurred. The victim has…

Groups Want Wisconsin to End Solitary Confinement of Youth

Racine County’s Juvenile Detention Center – WUMWMILWAUKEE, Wis. (AP) – Wisconsin juvenile advocacy groups are asking a federal court to order the state to stop using solitary confinement at its youth correctional facilities. The ACLU of Wisconsin and the Juvenile Law Center filed the request Wednesday as part of a pending lawsuit alleging poor treatment of juveniles at the Lincoln…

Medical Examiner: Probable Opioid Overdose Killed 4-Year-Old

MILWAUKEE, Wis. (AP) – Another young child has died of a suspected opioid overdose in Milwaukee County. The Milwaukee County Medical Examiner says the death of 4-year-old Tyranne Beckless last week is being investigated as a probable opioid overdose, the seventh child under five to die in a similar way in the last 19 months in Milwaukee County. Additional toxicology…

No Criminal Charges in Itasca County Assault Incident

ITASCA COUNTY, Minn. – An altercation between two men in Goodland, Minnesota, has recently become a talking point on social media. Law enforcement has released their findings in the investigation of this incident, and believes it provides considerable information, which was not available in discussions on social media. An altercation between 82-year-old Mark David Mehle, of Goodland, and Ed Allen…

Aaron Hernandez Found Dead in Prison

He was found at 3:05 a.m. by corrections officers

Photo: FoxNews.com NEW YORK (FOX5NY) – Aaron Hernandez, the former NFL star found guilty of murder, was found dead of an apparent suicide in his cell in a Massachusetts prison. Hernandez was found hanging in his cell by corrections officers around 3:05 a.m. at the Souza Baranowski Correctional Center, Massachusetts Department of Correction officials said in a statement. He was…

Ely Veterans Memorial Vandlized

Police Investigating Incident

Photo courtesy of Ely Echo.ELY, Minn.-A veterans memorial in Ely was been vandalized late Sunday night or early Monday morning. Five crab apple trees planted at the head of the Trezona Trail, were broken and tipped over. The trees were part of a vets memorial there. Police are continuing to investigate the incident. Categories: Crime, News, News – Latest News…

Facebook Killer Commits Suicide After Police Pursuit

Suspect Was Wanted on Aggravated Murder Charge

CLEVELAND-Pennsylvania State Police say the suspect in the random killing of a Cleveland retiree posted on Facebook has shot and killed himself after a brief pursuit. State police say Steve Stephens was spotted Tuesday morning by state police in Erie County, in the state’s northwest corner. Authorities say police tried to pull Stephens over and, after a brief pursuit, he…

Man Arrested on Gun Charge

Levi Miller was Convicted in 2015 for Firing a Gun into a Crowd

DULUTH, Minn. – A man convicted of shooting into a crowd nearly two years ago is in trouble with the law again. On Friday, the St. Louis County Attorney charged 21 year-old Levi Miller with being a felon in possession of a firearm and receiving stolen property. In September 2015, Miller was convicted of 2nd degree assault for firing several…

Duluth Man Arrested on Felony Gun Charges

Was Also Arrested for Receiving Stolen Property

DULUTH, Minn.-Local authorities arrested Levi Miller, 21, of Duluth, yesterday for being a felon in possession of a firearm and receiving stolen property. Miller’s bail has been set at $50,000 for the crimes – both of which are felonies. Miller was on probation when he was arrested for the second-degree assault conviction, which is connected to a shooting incident in…

Gun theft fugitive caught in southwest Wisconsin

Man who found fugitive describes him as cordial

Joseph JakubowskiMILWAUKEE – Sheriff’s officials say a man suspected of stealing firearms from a gun store and sending President Donald Trump an anti-government manifesto has been arrested in southwestern Wisconsin. The Rock County Sheriff’s Office says 32-year-old Joseph Jakubowski was captured around 6 a.m. Friday near Readstown, Wisconsin. The sheriff’s office said in a statement that he was captured without…

Reports of Child Abuse Spike Dramatically in Minnesota

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) – Minnesota officials say nearly 40,000 children were suspected of being abused or neglected in the state last year, a 25-percent increase from 2015. Minnesota Public Radio reports the data posted by the Minnesota Department of Human Services also noted a spike in maltreatment investigations. The report didn’t detail what was behind the increase, but says…

Two Suspects Wanted in Dollar Store Robbery

Contact Authorities if You Have Any Informaiton

DULUTH, Minn.-Duluth police are looking for two suspects involved in an alleged robbery at the Dollar Tree on the 300 block of Central Entrance. Employees at the store said a firearm was displayed during the incident. The first suspect is being described as a black man in his late 20’s. He’s believed to be six-feet tall with a skinny build…

Exonerated Former Prisoner Speaks at UMD

Nathson Fields Spent 18 Years in Prison and 12 Years on Death Row

DULUTH, Minn. – A wrongfully convicted former prisoner spoke with students at the University of Minnesota-Duluth about his experience. Nathson FieldsĀ spent eighteen years in prison, including twelve on death row, before he was exonerated for a double murder he did not commit. Now he spreads awareness about wrongful convictions and why he believes the death penalty should be abolished. “We…

Burnsville HS Teacher Arrested for ‘Sexually Explicit’ Communication with Student

Rose Heaphy - Fox 9

Erik Akervik BURNSVILLE, Minn. (KMSP) – A Burnsville High School music teacher was arrested Monday on suspicion of having explicit electronic communications with a student. The school district said they received a complaint about Erik Akervik last Saturday and immediately began an investigation. Police were notified that the teacher “had been communicating with a student electronically and the communication contained…