Jacob Thomas Shepersky, 24, of rural Menahga, was sentenced in Becker County District Court for misdemeanor fifth-degree assault.
A felony second-degree assault charge was dropped in a plea agreement.
According to court records, on Sept. 17, 2020, he hit a man in the back of the head with a wooden baseball bat, at least twice, after grabbing the bat from his vehicle during an argument. The man lost consciousness after being hit with the bat, and after he came out of it and got into his vehicle, Shepersky started punching him through an open window.
The man was interviewed by a deputy at the hospital, and had noticeable injuries to his face and the back of his head. Shepersky admitted to fighting the man, and a wooden baseball bat was seized from his vehicle.
On June 1, Becker County District Judge Gretchen Thilmony stayed adjudication and continued the case. Shepersky was fined $500 plus $500 in court fees and placed on unsupervised probation for a year.
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Felony dropped against Callaway man for lack of probable cause
Joseph Charles Thompson, 33, of rural Callaway, had criminal charges dismissed in Becker County District Court after a judge found the charges lacked probable cause.
He was charged with felony fifth-degree controlled substance crime and gross misdemeanor possession of ammunition or firearms.
According to the criminal complaint, on July 18, 2020, a Detroit Lakes police officer noticed a GMC Sierra pickup truck at a residence with license plates belonging to another vehicle. When the officer pulled in behind the vehicle, the driver fled on foot and the officer pursued. The vehicle turned out to be stolen, and the officer said squad car video showed that Thompson took the opportunity provided by the foot chase to move items into the glove box, then roll up a window and lock the doors.
A bag of marijuana weighing about a third of a pound (with packaging) was found under Thompson’s seat, and an unfired 30-30 round was found on the front passenger floorboard.
He was convicted of domestic assault on Jan. 26 and is not allowed to possess ammunition.
But at a probable cause hearing May 21, Becker County District Judge Gretchen Thilmony reviewed the squad car video and found, among other things, that nothing incriminating could be seen because Thompson's body blocked the video, and he only spent a few seconds locking up the pickup truck and didn’t have time to move items around. She found that the officer had “speculated” as to his actions. Both charges were dismissed.
West Fargo man sentenced for $34,000 check written in DL
Gerald Keith Goulet, 51, of West Fargo, has been sentenced in Becker County District Court for felony issuing a dishonored check.
A felony theft by check charge was dropped in a plea agreement.
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According to court records, on Sept. 23, 2019, Goulet passed a check for $34,346 at Nereson’s Automotive in Detroit Lakes. He said he was a collector and wanted to buy a Corvette. He returned to have paint sealant applied to the Corvette, which he left at the dealership.
The check was brought to Bell Bank the next day, and it was learned that Goulet’s account had been closed Sept. 3 due to a non-sufficient fund check. He was wanted on a warrant issued Feb. 11, 2019, for failure to appear for a civil commitment hearing.
On May 21, District Judge Micheal Fritz sentenced Goulet to 19 months in prison at St. Cloud, stayed five years.
He was ordered to serve 13 days in jail, with credit for 13 days served, and was fined $500 plus $665 in court fees. He must get a mental health evaluation and follow the recommendations.
RELATED: See other Becker County District Court news
Burglary charge dropped in plea agreement for another case
Rachel Annette Onsgard, 32, of Halstad, had a felony second-degree burglary charge dismissed in Becker County District Court as part of a plea agreement in another case.
According to court records, on May 18, 2019, a Becker County deputy was called to a burglary scene at a home off County Road 129. The woman who owns the property had been gone for a week and learned of the break-in from someone else. A rifle was taken from upstairs.
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A screen had been cut in an upstairs window and a downstairs window had been damaged by pry marks. A black glove was found outside the house near where some paneling had been removed, and the DNA came back as a match for Onsgard. On May 20 the charge was dismissed as part of a plea agreement reached on two other burglary cases.
On the most serious of those cases, Onsgard was sentenced to 23 months in prison at Shakopee, stayed 10 years.
She was ordered to serve 60 days in jail, with credit for 32 days served, and work release privileges. She was fined $800 plus $950 in court fees and $3,938 in restitution, and was placed on supervised probation for 10 years.
