Criminal sexual conduct allegations against a young Frazee woman will be resolved through a jury trial.
Monika Gene Marie Demarrias, 18, of rural Frazee was charged in Becker County Juvenile Court with four felonies: Two counts of first-degree criminal sexual conduct, one count of second-degree assault with a dangerous weapon, and one count of making terroristic threats.
She is accused of physically and sexually assaulted three children under the age of 8 multiple times from Jan. 1 to Aug. 5, according to court records.
The charges were filed after a forensic interview with the oldest victim, done by the Red River Child Advocacy Center on Aug. 15.
The assaults occurred in a residence in Becker County, and the oldest victim said she was afraid to tell sooner because Demarrias frightened her with a knife and threatened to kill her and her family if she told anyone, according to the juvenile court complaint.
ADVERTISEMENT
The oldest victim said she witnessed some of the assaults on the younger two victims. The victims were often tied up and gagged during the sexual assaults. Physical assaults included choking, beating and holding the younger ones out a high window by their legs as if planning to drop them, according to court records.
Closing arguments at the Becker County Courthouse were held Thursday afternoon.
Bail set at $100K for Detroit Lakes man found in woman's home
Lyman William Lowry, 37, of Detroit Lakes, has been charged in Becker County District Court with two felony counts of violating a no-contact order.
According to court records, on Sept. 3, a woman with an active domestic abuse no-contact order against him reported that Lowry had slapped her, then grabbed her by the arm and backhanded her. He also damaged her car radio.
On Sept. 6, Detroit Lakes police learned that Lowry was inside the victim’s residence. When the victim arrived with the house keys, police unlocked the door and found him inside. Lowry had been served with a no-contact order in March that was still in effect.
He told officers that he lived there, the woman had let him in, and he didn’t know where she was. But the woman said she did not let him in and did not want him there. He was arrested and taken to jail. He was previously convicted of attempted second-degree criminal sexual conduct in 2012 and threats of violence in 2019.
On Sept. 8, District Judge Mike Fritz set cash bail for Lowry at $100,000 or bond at $100,000, with standard conditions of release, or bond at $200,000 without conditions.
Frazee man charged after officers find meth in cigarette pack
Robert Duane Haugen, 50, of Frazee, has been charged in Becker County District Court with felony fifth-degree controlled substance crime.
ADVERTISEMENT
According to court records, on March 16, a deputy saw a vehicle with expired registration parked on an approach off County Road 29. Haugen was the driver, and he told the deputy that he was waiting for the property owner to bring him title to the vehicle.
A female passenger told the officer they had pulled over to smoke meth. Two large butane lighters, common for meth use, were found inside the vehicle, and Haugen turned over a pipe with meth residue. Deputies later found a small baggie of meth, weighing just over a gram, inside a cigarette pack. Haugen was arrested and released due to the pandemic.
On Sept. 28, a summons was sent ordering him to appear in court at a time not yet determined because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Man accused of domestic assault by strangulation
Aaron Joseph Blankenship, 33, of Wahpeton, N.D., has been charged in Becker County District Court with felony domestic assault by strangulation and two misdemeanor counts of domestic assault.
According to court records, on Sept. 26, he assaulted his wife in Becker County, choking her to the point where she couldn’t breathe and may have passed out, and a short time later hitting her twice in the face. She had marks on her face and neck. He was arrested and taken to jail.
On Sept. 28, cash bail for Blankenship was set at $400 or bond at $4,000, with standard conditions of release, or bond at $15,000 without conditions.
Man accused of punching girlfriend, kicking her in face
Adrian Matthew Warren, 22, of rural Ponsford, has been charged in Becker County District Court with two felony counts of domestic assault.
According to court records, on Sept. 26 he beat up his girlfriend, who had been sitting in a car with a woman. Warren opened the car door and punched his girlfriend in the face, then dragged her out of the car by her hair and started kicking her in the face. Law enforcement officers saw scratches and blood on her face, and she was crying and upset after the assault, according to court records. Officers found Warren, arrested him and took him to jail.
ADVERTISEMENT
He was previously convicted of third-degree assault and felony domestic assault in 2017.
On Sept. 28, cash bail for Warren was set at $1,000 or bond at $10,000, with standard conditions of release, or bond at $30,000 without conditions.
DL man accused of selling meth to informant
Jackson Harley Widme, 20, of Detroit Lakes, has been charged in Becker County District Court with felony third-degree controlled substance crime.
According to court records, on Sept. 19, 2019, a confidential informant working with the West Central Minnesota Drug and Violent Crime Task Force arranged to buy a “40 pack” of meth from Widme in Detroit Lakes. He was given marked buy money and the purchase of nearly a half-gram of meth was recorded by agents.
On Sept. 28, a summons was sent ordering him to appear in court at a time not yet determined because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
