Posted: 11/30/04
Trials continued for juveniles charged in October gun theft
Trials for two Caledonia juveniles charged with gun theft have been continued in hopes that a settlement can be reached, assistant Houston County Attorney Suzanne Harnack said on November 26.
A third trial is scheduled for December 1, but Harnack said she is hopeful that a plea agreement can be reached in that case too.
Two boys, ages 15 and 13, and a 15-year-old girl were charged with second and third degree burglary and theft of firearms on October 6.
They were arrested in Goodhue County on October 1 after driving off from a gas station in La Crescent without paying.
A check of the vehicle identified it as one that had been stolen from a residence in Caledonia. In the car were two shotguns, a rifle, and a pistol, all allegedly stolen from a Caledonia home.
The youths were each charged in Houston County with burglary in the second degree, a felony; burglary in the third degree, a felony; and four separate theft of a firearm charges, each of which is a felony.
In Goodhue County, they all face the charge of receiving stolen property, and multiple charges related to the gun thefts. The driver faces the charge of fleeing a police officer.
In a separate petition, the driver is charged with car theft in Goodhue County.
The names cannot be made public because they are under the age of 16.
Flag vandalism trial set
In other court news, the trial for a 15-year-old Caledonia male who allegedly stole and defaced an American flag has been scheduled for December 22.
The juvenile was charged on October 28 in juvenile court in Caledonia with prohibited acts against a flag; theft of two flags, and criminal damage to property for the first flag that was stolen. His name cannot be made public because he is a juvenile.
He allegedly stole an American flag from the flag pole by the community center in Brownsville on July 12, returned it a week later in a defaced condition, then stole the new flag.
Caledonia Argus
314 West Lincoln St.
P.O. Box 227
Caledonia, MN 55921-0227
507/724-3475
E-Mail: editor.argus@ecm-inc.com