Court news: Becker County man faces five felony sex charges

DETROIT LAKES — Wesley James Jones, 22, of rural Ponsford has been charged in Becker County District Court with three felony first-degree criminal sexual conduct, two felony counts of third-degree criminal sexual conduct, one count of felony threats of violence and one count of felony domestic assault by strangulation.

According to an amended criminal complaint filed against him March 13: On or about Aug. 1 through Aug. 24, 2022, he physically and sexually abused a woman in Becker County, threatening to kill her family and friends if she reported him.

He is currently on supervised probation for third-degree criminal sexual conduct involving a teenager.

On March 13, bail or bond was set at $250,000 without conditions, or $100,000 bail or bond with standard conditions of release. He remained in the Becker County Jail on Saturday, March 18.

His next court appearance on the new charges was set for March 20 before Becker County District Judge Gretchen Thilmony.

Erin John Westhoff, 28, of rural Detroit Lakes has been charged in Becker County District Court with felony first-degree and felony third-degree criminal sexual conduct.

According to court records, on April 3, 2019, a Detroit Lakes Police Department investigator received a report of a teen girl disclosing that when she was younger she was sexually assaulted in Becker County.

A forensic interview of the girl was conducted on April 17, 2019, and she disclosed that Westhoff had sexually assaulted her on multiple occasions over several years.

In a separate case, Westhoff is charged with two felony counts of fifth-degree criminal sexual conduct for allegedly walking around naked in front of children, including a preteen girl who had to take her siblings outside to get away from Westhoff.

He then followed them outside to where they were, and the girl had to bring her siblings back inside through the garage, then lock herself and her siblings in their rooms so that Westhoff could not get to them. A different time, he groped her buttucks while she was trying to do the dishes. After she told her mother, Westhoff was no longer allowed in the home, according to the criminal complaint.

An omnibus hearing on both sets of charges is set for April 17 before District Court Judge Gretchen Thilmony.

Amanda Jo Knutson, 40, of rural Pelican Rapids has been charged in Becker County District Court with felony first-degree criminal damage to property and felony theft.

According to court records, on July 20, 2022 Detroit Lakes police received a report of damage to property and theft at U-Store Lock and Leave in Detroit Lakes.

The man who reported the damage told police that he had been renting a storage unit at U-Store with Knutson, his ex-girlfriend. She is accused of getting the gate access code from the storage facility owner and taking off the overhead door to their storage unit, leaving a tarp hanging where the door would be.

Knutson’s ex-boyfriend, who originally reported the incident, later reported to police that he was missing property from the unit, including a portable ice house valued at about $530, three lithium batteries valued at about $350, a couple different bait coolers valued at $85 and $95, and an unknown value of clothing.

He provided messages sent to him from Knutson in which she says that she "got her stuff" and "almost all yours too." She also states, "This fish house sure is nice. I'm gonna sell it today buddy."

The storage unit's owner provided an invoice for replacement of the overhead door, totaling $2,404.11.

A sentencing hearing for Knutson is set for April 13 before Becker County District Court Judge Michael Fritz.