Court news: Rural Menahga man sentenced for domestic assault

DETROIT LAKES — Ryan David Vry, 44, of rural Menahga has been sentenced in Becker County District Court for felony domestic assault.

According to court records, on the afternoon of Aug, 25, 2022, Becker County deputies were dispatched to the St. Joseph's Hospital Emergency Room in Park Rapids, regarding a woman that had been assaulted the previous night at a residence in Runeberg Township, Becker County. A law enforcement officer met with the woman and immediately noticed that her arms were covered in bruises.

Vry is accused of hitting her in the mouth during an argument, then forcefully striking her across the face again after she pushed him. Some of the bruises were allegedly from Vry assaulting her in his truck on Aug. 23.

Vry told law enforcement that the woman was the one who assaulted him and that he did not want to go to jail. He had some minor injuries and said the woman continually assaults him and that her bruises may have been from her kicking and hitting him, causing him to drive his truck into the ditch.

Vry has three prior convictions for violating an order for protection, two within the past 10 years, involving the same woman.

On March 15, Becker County District Court Judge Gretchen Thilmony sentenced Vry to 15 months in prison at St. Cloud, stayed five years.

He was ordered to serve 30 days in jail, with credit for 18 days served, and was fined $500 plus $150 in court fees.

Vry must get a domestic abuse evaluation, complete a comprehensive assessment, and follow the recommendations for both, including aftercare.

He was placed on supervised probation for five years.

Casey Michael Wheeler, 32, of rural Ogema has been sentenced in Becker County District Court for gross misdemeanor receiving stolen property. A felony charge of receiving stolen property was dropped in a plea agreement.

According to court records, on Aug. 7, 2022, deputies responded to a report of a burglary in Becker County.

The missing items included a Stihl Model 661 chainsaw valued at $1,000, a Stihl Model 362 Chainsaw valued at $600, a Stihl Model 310 chainsaw valued at $300, and other tools.

On Sept. 9, 2022, the reporting party learned of a listing of a Stihl chainsaw on Facebook Marketplace, and noticed identifiable features on the 661 chainsaw for sale, based on tooling marks on the Stihl logo and blood spatter on the brake. The Facebook listing had been made by Wheeler, and the chainsaw had sold shortly after.

On March 15, Becker County District Court Judge Gretchen Thilmony sentenced Wheeler on the gross misdemeanor to a year in jail, with 354 days stayed two years, and credit for 11 days served.

He was fined $1,000 plus $150 in court fees, and was placed on unsupervised probation for two years.