Posted: 10/5/04
La Crescent oil vandals sentenced; fourth man pleads guilty September 27
Restitution and probation were the sentences for two people involved in an oil-dumping vandalism incident in La Crescent on May 19.
Kevin Humfeld, Dakota, and Christopher Barnes, La Crescent, were sentenced on August 30.
The two men, who are each age 18, pled guilty to two counts of criminal damage to property in the first degree, a felony, and two counts of criminal damage to property in the third degree, a gross misdemeanor.
The court stayed the adjudication with regard to the first two counts, meaning that if the men successfully complete probation, there will be no felony convictions on their records.
Third District Court Judge James Fabian gave five years of probation to each man. They will have to write letters of apology to the victims, and have a letter of apology published in a county newspaper.
In addition, Humfeld was sentenced to 30 days in jail with credit for time served, and ordered to serve 100 hours of community service.
Also, about $28,875 in restitution will be split among the people convicted.
Two other men who were charged in the incident have their cases pending.
ï Russell Robert Hunt, 18, of Caledonia changed his plea to guilty in court on September 27. He will be sentenced on October 25.
ï Tyler Wieser, 18, of La Crescent, has pled guilty to three counts of criminal damage to property in the first degree, a felony. He is scheduled to be sentenced on October 27.
The criminal complaint states that they transported eight or nine pails of used motor oil in the back of a pick-up belonging to Humfeldís father, and dumped the used motor oil on eight vehicles on the night of May 19. The vehicles belonged to six students and two teachers from La Crescent High School.
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