Court news: Bemidji man sentenced for running from courthouse after being sentenced

DETROIT LAKES — Alexander Paul Robare, 26, of Bemidji, has been sentenced in Becker County District Court for felony escape from custody.

According to court records, on the afternoon of July 6, 2022, Robare was scheduled for hearings on multiple criminal files at the Becker County Courthouse in Detroit Lakes. He appeared in court with his attorney, the judge, court staff, attorneys, and a deputy.

The judge first called a felony matter set for sentencing and, after argument by the parties as to disposition, sentenced Robare to state prison. After that file was concluded, Robare remained in the courtroom seated at the defense table to address his remaining misdemeanor files.

While his attorney was addressing the judge regarding those matters, Robare jumped up out of his chair and ran out of the courtroom.

The deputy ran after him and informed dispatch by radio, but Robare got away. Surveillance video showed him running through the hallway and exiting the courthouse through the north emergency exit door. Law enforcement searched for him and later that evening arrested him in the Casey's convenience store parking lot.

On March 10, Becker County District Judge Michael Fritz sentenced Robare to 23 months in prison at St. Cloud, stayed five years. He was fined $1,000 plus $75 in court fees.

The sentence was both an upward and a downward departure from state sentencing guidelines, by mutual agreement: The prison sentence was longer – 23 months instead of 13 months – but it was a stayed sentence, not prison time. That’s because he was found to be amenable to probation, having sought out chemical dependency treatment for himself.

Justin Thomas Kirkevold, 30, of rural Audubon has been sentenced in Becker County District Court for gross misdemeanor interfering with privacy by planting a surreptitious device at a residence.

A felony charge of second-degree burglary was dropped in a plea agreement.

According to court records, on Jan. 4 he entered the home of an ex-girlfriend in Detroit Lakes and placed a camera in her bedroom.

The woman told police that on Jan. 6, she woke up to Kirkevold standing over her bed. The incident lasted about 30 minutes before Kirkevold took the camera that was mounted in the woman’s bedroom and left.

Officers talked to him that same day, and he admitted to placing the camera in the woman’s house on Jan. 4, and said he went there on Jan. 6 when he got upset because he thought he had heard her talking to someone.

Kirkevold acknowledged what he did was wrong. He showed the officers his phone, which had hours of video footage.

On Jan. 8, the woman contacted the officers and showed them a message from Kirkevold which stated in part, "psycho is the only option left," and "I'm sorry but we are obviously at a point of taking extreme measures." The officers went to Kirkevold's residence and arrested him.

On March 10, Becker County District Judge Michael Fritz sentenced Kirkevold to a year in jail, all but three days stayed for two years, and credit for three days served. He was fined $500 plus $150 in court fees, and placed on unsupervised probation for two years.

Michele Renae Skramstad, 48, of rural Detroit Lakes has been sentenced in Becker County District Court for felony possession of a firearm and misdemeanor fourth-degree DWI.

A second misdemeanor DWI charge was dropped in a plea agreement.

According to court records, on the evening of July 19, 2022, a state trooper pulled her over in Detroit Lakes after seeing her driving while holding a cell phone to her ear.

The trooper noticed a strong odor of alcohol coming from the vehicle, and Skramstad also had bloodshot and watery eyes. She admitted to previously consuming alcohol, and she was arrested after blowing .11% in a preliminary breath test.

An inventory search of the vehicle revealed a 12-gauge double-barrel shotgun, and she admitted the shotgun was hers. Skramstad was convicted on a felony fifth-degree drug possession charge in 2012, which prohibits her from possessing firearms.

On March 10, Becker County District Judge Michael Fritz sentenced Skramstad on the firearms charge to 30 days in jail, with credit for three days served. She was fined $1,000 plus $150 in court fees.

On the DWI charge, she was sentenced to 90 days in jail, with 60 days stayed five years. She was ordered to serve 30 days in jail, with credit for three days already served, and fined $300 plus $25 in court fees.

She must also complete a comprehensive assessment and follow the recommendations, including aftercare.

She was placed on supervised probation for five years.