Pennington County, MN (trfnews.i234.me) – A 43-year-old Emerado, North Dakota man was sentenced on Monday, July 7 in Pennington County District Court for felony first-degree DWI, stemming from a 2023 traffic stop in Thief River Falls.
Cory Lee Dembiczak pleaded guilty to first-degree DWI – prior felony conviction. In exchange, a felony fifth-degree controlled substance charge and a gross misdemeanor for driving after cancellation, inimical to public safety, were dismissed.
Sentence Details:
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64 months in prison, stayed for 5 years
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60 days in jail, with 34 days credited as time served
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5 years of supervised probation
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Ordered to complete the Roseau County DWI Program
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Must undergo a comprehensive assessment within 60 days and follow all treatment and aftercare recommendations
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Required to provide a DNA sample
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Ordered to pay $290 in fees and fines
Incident Recap:
The charges stemmed from a January 14, 2023, traffic stop around 10:50 p.m., when a police officer noticed a Pontiac Bonneville displaying license plates from a Ford F-150.
Dembiczak told the officer he had placed the plates on the vehicle because his pickup had broken down — a move he claimed was legal in North Dakota.
However, the officer observed clear signs of impairment and learned Dembiczak’s license had been canceled as inimical to public safety.
A baggie containing 1.17 grams of methamphetamine was found on Dembiczak, and a used meth pipe was later discovered in the vehicle’s center console. A blood sample was collected and sent to the Minnesota BCA for analysis.
Court documents also noted that Dembiczak had a prior felony DWI conviction in May 2014 in Polk County, MN, which elevated this latest offense to a felony.
I’m Chris Harper reporting for TRF News.