Court news: Rochert man charged with malicious punishment of child

Scott Thomas Bergstrom, 32, of rural Rochert, was charged in Becker County District Court with gross misdemeanor malicious punishment of a child and misdemeanor domestic assault.

According to court records, on Feb. 11, a sheriff’s investigator received a report that a boy had been slapped on the face by his father, bruising the left side of his face.

The boy told investigators that he gets in trouble a lot from his dad, and dad hurts him on his body, according to court records. He said his cheek got hurt when his dad slapped him in the face because he wasn't putting stuff in the cupboard right. The boy said he is supposed to get hit in the back of the head, and not the face because that is what mom tells him. The boy said Bergstrom hurts him on his body a lot and he does not feel safe, according to court records.

Bergstrom told the investigator he did not know what happened to his son’s face. He was told to tell the truth, and admitted to slapping the boy “because he wasn’t listening and was mouthing back.” He said it happened Feb. 8, that he lost his temper and was sorry for it.

On March 9, District Judge Mike Fritz issued a summons for Bergstrom to appear in court April 9.

Casey James Holt, 25, of Perham, was charged in Becker County District Court with felony fifth-degree controlled substance crime, gross misdemeanor bringing contraband into jail, and misdemeanor fleeing a peace officer on foot.

According to court records, on March 8, two Detroit Lakes police officers saw Holt in a store in Detroit Lakes and learned he was wanted on a warrant. When an officer approached him, he took off running, but eventually stopped and was arrested. A search at the Becker County Jail revealed 3.4 grams of meth hidden in his sock.

On March 10, Holt appeared before District Judge Steven Cahill, who set cash bail at $1,000 or bond at $10,000, with standard conditions of release, or bond at $20,000 with no conditions.

Cory Thomas Swift, 43, of Detroit Lakes, was charged in Becker County District Court with felony fifth-degree controlled substance crime and misdemeanor giving a false name to a peace officer.

According to court records, on March 6 Swift was a passenger in a car pulled over by a Detroit Lakes officer for a nonfunctioning taillight. He gave a false name to the police officer because he was wanted on multiple warrants.

He was arrested, and when searched officers found Hydrocodone pills in his right front pocket. He admitted he had no prescription for the pills, according to court records. He was previously convicted of fifth-degree controlled substance crime in 2017.

On March 9, Swift appeared before District Judge Steven Cahill, who set cash bail at $300 or bond at $10,000, with standard conditions of release, or bond at $20,000 with no conditions.

Anthony Eugene Kruger, 30, of Fergus Falls, was charged in Becker County District Court with felony first-degree controlled substance crime.

According to court records, on Feb. 11, Kruger sold two balls of meth, totaling 7.86 grams with packaging, to a confidential reliable informant with the West Central Minnesota Drug and Violent Crime Task Force, with the understanding he would be paid for the meth later.

Later that day in Detroit Lakes, Kruger sold 13.4 grams of meth to the same confidential reliable informant and was paid with documented cash, according to court records. Task force agents positively identified him during the buy. Total meth sold on Feb. 11 was 21.26 grams, with packaging. He was previously convicted of a felony drug offense in North Dakota in 2012.

On March 6, Kruger appeared before District Judge Mike Fritz, who set cash bail at $35,000 or bond at $35,000, with standard conditions of release, or bond at $75,000 with no conditions.

Bryon Christopher Hultquist, 38, of Grand Forks, N.D., was charged in Becker County District Court with felony being a fugitive from justice from another state.

According to court records, on Feb. 21, a warrant was issued for him in Grand Forks County for violating a court order. On March 4 Hultquist was arrested in Detroit Lakes on the warrant. That same day he waived his right to an extradition hearing and was appointed a public defender. On March 6 an order for detention was signed by District Judge Mike Fritz.

Craig Daniel Bellanger, 38, of Detroit Lakes, was charged in Becker County District Court with felony third-degree assault and two misdemeanor charges of domestic assault.

According to court records, on March 2, Detroit Lakes police went to the emergency room at Essentia St. Mary’s to interview an assault victim. The woman had a large hematoma on her scalp and a laceration near the hematoma and other deformities on her head. Blood was streaming down her face from multiple lacerations and a puncture wound under her right forearm.

A witness said that the woman and Bellanger had been at the woman’s residence at the Graystone and had been staying there for the past two days, according to court records. The victim is Bellanger’s mother. The witness said they had been drinking and Bellanger called the victim a name. The victim became upset and threw a glass. Bellanger then threw the victim to the floor and the witness told him to stop, then went outside, where she could hear banging and thumping from the apartment.

The witness went inside and saw the victim on the floor, with her legs to one side and supporting herself with her arms, according to court records. Bellanger told the witness to get the victim out of the apartment. The witness said Bellanger told her he beat the victim using an ashtray.

Officers found blood on the walls next to the elevator on the main floor, blood on the elevator doors, and the apartment was in disarray, with broken glass, a broken piano bench, and a large pool of blood on the kitchen floor. There were blood smears on the couch, on Bellanger’s pants and on the walls. He was asleep on the coach with an ashtray near his hand with blood on it.

On March 5, Bellanger appeared before District Judge Mike Fritz, who set cash bail at $2,000 or bond at $20,000, with standard conditions of release, or bond at $40,000 with no conditions.

Chelsea Rose Ann Shore, 22, of rural Detroit Lakes was charged in Becker County District Court with felony theft and felony credit card theft.

According to court records, on Oct. 28, 2019, a white 2005 Pontiac Bonneville was stolen from outside a Frazee residence. The next day, the registered owner reported her credit card had been in the car, and had been used several times in Mapleton, N.D.

On Oct. 30, 2019, Fargo police recovered the stolen vehicle. Shore had been driving it and admitted taking it.The credit card was used or attempted to be used in seven places in Minnesota and several places in North Dakota. Shore succeeded in using it to purchase $91 worth of items, but tried and failed to charge another $1,300 worth of items.

She was caught on video leaving the Detroit Lakes Walmart and getting into the stolen car.

On March 5, District Judge Mike Fritz issued a summons for her to appear in court on March 26.