NEWS
--Two Little Falls area men are facing criminal charges after a human trafficking sting operation in Stearns County. The arrests were made June 25-27 through a cooperative effort between the Central Minnesota Human Trafficking Task Force, with the assistance of the St. Cloud Police Department, Stearns County Sheriff’s Office, and Sartell Police Department. According to the Central Minnesota Human Trafficking Task Force a total of eight arrests were made, with more expected. Seven people were arrested for gross misdemeanor crimes related to attempting to purchase sex, and one was arrested for felony-level electronic solicitation of a child. The man arrested for felony-level electronic solicitation of a child was from Little Falls. Edward Rolfe Fellows, 64 of Little Falls was charged with two felonies of: Soliciting a child or someone believed to be a child through electronic communication to engage in sexual conduct and engaging in the electronic communication relating to or describing sexual conduct with a child. Authorities add there are active and ongoing investigations for soliciting children resulting from the detail. Additional arrests are anticipated, according to the task force. Nathan Kurt Eschenbacher, 31 of Fort Ripley, was charged with a gross misdemeanor count of Prostitution, hiring, offering, or agreeing to hire to engage in prostitution with someone 18 or older. Both men were arrested after engaging in explicit conversation with undercover agents in chatrooms know to be used in the solicitation of sexual activity, according to criminal complaints filed in Stearns County District Court. According to court records, Edward Rolfe Fellows allegedly corresponded with an agent posing to be a 14-year-old on a chatroom called Kik. Fellows described in detail the sex acts he would perform on the girl if they were to meet. He then allegedly made plans to meet the "girl" at an apartment in St. Cloud. It was at the apartment complex that Fellows was arrested on the "meet-up" day. He was booked into the Stearns County Jail and appeared in court on June 28. He was released on bail. According to court records, Nathan Kurt Eschenbacher allegedly corresponded with an agent posing to be an adult female on the site Skipthegames.com. Eschenbacher allegedly made arrangements to meet the "female" at a residence in St. Cloud at a prearranged date and time.
--The Fourth of July once again descended into violent lawlessness in Minneapolis. This year, the problems were mostly seen in the Dinkytown neighborhood near the University of Minnesota campus. Online video shows several agencies coordinating to patrol the streets and rein in some chaos. Reports include rocks and mortars being thrown at squad cars. SWAT vehicles, Minneapolis Police Department Officers, and dozens of Minnesota State Patrol troopers were all involved. No information has been released about arrests made in connection to the unrest. The Little Falls Police Department also responded in the past week to a report of juveniles tampering with items at city parks and other areas of property and a number of noise complaints around the city. They also made a number of traffic stops recently in the city for traffic violations mainly speeding or equipment failures on vehicles. No mention of arrests in any of the cases. The Police Department continues to ask if you see something suspicious contact their office to investigate at 320-616-5570.
--Sheriff's deputies discovered a large amount of suspected methamphetamine during a traffic stop. The Cass County Sheriff says on Wednesday investigators conducted a traffic stop on Highway 371 in rural Pine River. A police dog was used to search the vehicle. They say about two pounds of suspected methamphetamine was found inside the vehicle. Arrested were the driver 58-year-old Cherry Osborne of Longville and a passenger 73-year-old Robert Johnson of Longville. The investigation indicates that the suspected drugs were going to be sold and distributed in Cass County and on the Leech Lake Indian Reservation.
--Two people are dead and one person is in serious condition after a crash in Big Lake on Saturday. The Minnesota State Patrol says a patrol car with the Big Lake Police Department was going south on Highway 25 when the officer observed a car speeding that was going north on Highway 25 in Big Lake near Tarrytown Road. The officer turned around to pursue the car and came upon the vehicle in the ditch where it had rolled. Two 17-year-old boys from Elk River were pronounced dead at the scene. A third 17-year-old boy, also from Elk River, was taken to Hennepin County Medical Center with Life Threatening injuries. The names of three boys have not been released and the crash remains under investigation.
--A 16-year-old has been reported a missing/runaway in Wright County. Around 8:30am Wednesday, Derek Sachs was last seen leaving his residence and has not made contact with any family members, he left his cell phone behind and was wearing black camouflage jersey pants and a black shirt. He is 5'5 with brown eyes and black hair around 125 pounds. He is believed to have ran away from home. Anyone with information should contact Wright County.
DEATH NOTICES
--Joseph John Schubert, age 93 of St. Paul and Leech Lake.
--Barbara Lynn Andersen, age 71 of Little Falls.
--Ronald C. Gay, age 74 of Pine City formerly of Albert Lea.
--Albert “Larry” Engel, age 86 of Little Falls.
WEATHER
TODAY= partly sunny skies, PM storms develop, high near 80.
TONIGHT= clearing skies, early storm, low near 57.
TUESDAY= sunny and humid, PM storms possible, high 82, low 61.
WEDNESDAY= sunny and warm, high 85, low around 60.
SPORTS
TWINS= A wild game Friday night where the Twins scored 7 runs in the 9th inning but still lost to Houston 13-12. All 9 batters for the Twins get hits Saturday in a 9-3 win over Houston. Christian Vazquez walk offs the Twins 3-2 win over the Astros with a 9th inning homer on Sunday to take the series. Twins are in Chicago tonight to start a series with the Whtie Sox, pregame at 6:30pm on Q92 WYRQ.
NFL= A new draft pick for the Minnesota Vikings was tragically killed in a car crash on the East Coast. Khyree Jackson, a 24-year-old Oregon graduate, was drafted fourth round with the 108th overall pick. Jackson and two others were killed in Maryland Friday night.
WNBA= Lynx without Collier Saturday night get four in double figures and beat Washington 74-67 at Target Center.