The Fergus Falls Daily Journal

Chad Steven Pikula, the New York Mills man who called in a fake bomb threat at the Brunswick/Lund Boat factory in the city, is facing some stiff fines and 90 days in jail after his sentencing last week. Pikula, 37, was convicted of one count of making terroristic threats. The conviction is a felony, but [...]Congressman

One of the men involved in the Operation: Spring Cleanup drug sting this spring in Fergus Falls will not get any more jail time after being sentenced for fifth degree drug sale last week. Calvin Leland Bengston, 50, of Fergus Falls, was sentenced to time served in jail and 5 years supervised probation by Judge [...]

A 36-year-old Fergus Falls man had two domestic assault by strangulation charges against him dismissed, resulting in a Monday sentence for interfering with a 911 call. Troy Richard Macheel, who was sentenced by Judge Barbara Hanson, was fined $900 (most of which can be paid off by community service) and must pay restitution of $616.17. [...]

A resident of Fergus Falls’ CARE center has been charged with arson after he allegedly set off a smoke detector and arranged a planned escape from the unit on Saturday. His fiancée allegedly helped plan the escape, and she was also charged in the incident. Michael Bernard Dilly, 32 (previous court documents give him a [...]

Two New York Mills men will have to pay up after causing over $10,000 in damage during an intoxicated series of joyrides on May 4. Douglas Lyon Dabill, 23, was sentenced this week for third degree burglary, a felony which can be downgraded to a gross misdemeanor in the future. Another identical charge and a [...]

A Vergas man will have to pay about $2,200 in restitution after committing a series of burglaries in 2010, including from his next-door neighbor. James Robert Nord, 19, was convicted of two counts of third degree burglary. In addition to his restitution, he was sentenced to 90 days in jail, five years supervised probation and [...]

A Fergus Falls man has been charged with his fifth, sixth, and seventh DWI offenses in the last 10 years. Joseph David Anderson, 31, was charged earlier this week with three counts of felony first degree DWI, along with one count of driving with a license canceled inimical to public safety. Anderson’s latest run-in with [...]

A Detroit Lakes man will spend 30 days in jail for stealing his cousin’s work truck in January. Matthew Allan Niehaus, 20, was sentenced for felony theft and fourth degree DWI on Monday. In addition to his jail time, he was fined $900 – payable by community service – and sentenced to five years supervised [...]

The Sabin man who allegedly cut a sheriff’s deputy with a knife following a car chase on Friday night has been charged in Otter Tail County court. Jacob Taylor Pierce, 24, was charged Monday with second degree assault, fourth degree assault of a peace office, third degree DWI and fleeing a peace officer in a [...]

A Perham man was sentenced Friday for a drunk driving accident he caused in September 2010. Kyle James Wientjes, 27, was convicted for gross misdemeanor criminal vehicular operation. He was fined $900, will spend 60 days in jail and must serve six years supervised probation. Court records show that Wientjes hit another vehicle from behind [...]