Brown County District Court

• Felony stalking and eight counts of felony violate harassment restraining order within 10 years of first of two or more previous qualified domestic violence related offense convictions or adjudications were filed June 13, 2023 in two cases against Justin J. Larson, 36, 402 Broadway St., Hanska.

According to court documents of the first case, Brown County Deputy Murphy talked with a witness May 26, 2023 regarding harassment restraining order (HRO) violations. According to a current Lyon County HRO, Larson must not be within 100 yards of the alleged victim’s address until July 12, 2023.

Possible violations happened on April 24, May 19, May 20, May 23 and May 26, 2023 including walking and a motorcycle ridden by the victim plus Facebook posts she was concerned about.

On May 26, 2023, Brown County Deputy Eric Schwarzrock talked by phone with the victim who said she and others at her residence saw Larson near her residence on a motorcycle.

Larson’s criminal history showed four prior felony convictions for violating an HRO, all involving the same victim.

For the second case, Brown County Deputy Jacob Stueber met with the victim June 2, 2023 and was shown three Facebook post screenshots including threats from Larson. Deputy Stueber noticed the victim was visibly distraught over the messages. He tried to pull up the Facebook post and saw the original post was taken down.

• Gross misdemeanor 3rd-degree DWI and 4th-degree DWI charges were filed June 13, 2023 against Tiffany L. Thompson, 47, 582 E. 12th St., Gibbon. According to court documents, New Ulm Policeman Tyler Forrest was driving northbound on Washington St. N. at 10:40 p.m. June 12, 2023 when he saw a 2012 Chevy Malibu turn left onto 1st N. Street and cross the center line, almost fully entering the opposite lane.

Officer Forrest stopped the car and noticed intoxication clues from Thompson. She agreed to take a preliminary breath test that read a .227 alcohol concentration. Thompson was arrested and taken to the Brown County Jail where a Data Master test at 11:18 p.m. showed a .23 alcohol concentration.

• Four counts of felony financial exploitation-vulnerable adult and four counts of felony financial transaction card fraud-use-no consent were filed in two cases against Danielle J. Hardel, 36, 1100 16th St. N., New Ulm.

According to court documents, New Ulm Police Senior Investigator Chris Moellenhoff received Minnesota Adult Abuse Reporting Center reports involving two victims on March 22, 2023. The victims’ current needs assistance lists included financial management, health care, safety, and unable to protest self from abuse/neglect/financial exploitation.

Reports indicated financial exploitation victims. Witnesses reviewed the victims’ bank statements and petty cash ledgers for February and notice ATM withdrawals not entered into the victim’s petty cash ledger and no receipts associated with the ATM withdrawals documenting what the money was used for.

The witness mentioned finding other suspicious transactions in other months and suspected Hardel, a worker at the victim’s house. Many if not all of the transactions occurred while Hardel was working. Witnesses discovered a total of $5,306.95 missing from the victim’s bank statements dating back to April 2022.

Bank Midwest provided a still shot of a Dodge Caravan minivan that coincided with a suspected ATM transaction. Investigator Moellenhoff asked a witness if the victim’s house had a Dodge Caravan, which she confirmed.

Investigator Moellenhoff contacted South Point Financial Credit Union and requested ATM video footage for Nov. 9, 2022, Feb. 8, 2023 and March 9, 2023. He reviewed Nov. 9, 2022 video and observed an indvidual he believed to be Hardel withdrawing cash from the victim’s account. Moellenhoff reviewed the other two videos and noted they included Hardel.

Video was obtained from a Holiday store regarding a March 20, 2023 ATM transaction. Hardel was observed using the ATM machine and exiting the store.

• Gross misdemeanor 3rd-degree DWI and misdemeanor 4th-degree DWI were filed June 15 against Corrine A. McCarley, 56, McCall, Id. According to court documents, New Ulm Police Officer Cory Lyons was dispatched to New Ulm Medical Center for an intoxicated woman report at 10:04 p.m. June 13, 2023.

A medical center security officer told officer Lyons that McCarley drove herself to the parking lot, parked across two stalls, walked to the emergency room and may be intoxicated. Officer Lyons met McCarley and noticed intoxication clues. She refused a preliminary breath test, was arrested and transported to the Brown County Jail. She later agreed to take a DataMaster breath test that read .24. McCall had a felony DWI conviction in December 2000.

• A felony issuance of dishonored checks charge was filed June 15, 2023 against Randy Lee Jensen, 45, 29237 CR 18, Comfrey. According to court documents, Brown County Sheriff’s Deputy Eric Schwarzrock met with a man who said he was the owner of Sondag Services who said Jensen wrote him a $1,200 check dated Jan. 17, 2023 for two hay loads. The man said he tried to cash the check several times and was told there were not sufficient funds in the account to honor it.

The man said he later received a request from Jensen for another hay load but told him he needed to pay cash first and would need to pay cash for the $1,200 he currently owes. Since then, the man has been unable to reach Jensen by phone.

In addition, the man said he has not been paid by Jensen despite a certified mail demand letter sent May 23, 2023 from the Sleepy Eye Post Office that was delivered.