Stephen MN: Woman Charged Over Unreturned $16K Loader

Stephen (trfnews.i234.me) A Stephen, Minnesota woman is facing a felony theft charge tied to an unreturned piece of heavy equipment.

Jana Lee Bopp, of Stephen, has been charged in Marshall County District Court.

The charge stems from the rental of a Bobcat track loader valued at about $16,000.

According to court documents, the equipment was rented from a Grand Forks dealer.

Rental Agreement Details

Court records say the rental agreement began in December of 2024.

Bopp allegedly agreed to pay $3,126 per month for the loader.

The rental continued for several months, according to the complaint.

By October of 2025, the dealer reported issues with payment and contact.

Documents say Bopp was more than $4,400 behind on payments.

The dealer also reported that calls and messages went unanswered.

Investigation And Recovery

In October of 2025, a representative of the dealership contacted authorities.

The matter was reported to the Marshall County Sheriff’s Office.

Investigators began working to locate the rented loader.

On October 28, 2025, a search warrant was executed, according to court filings.

Authorities located the Bobcat loader inside a garage.

The dealer was contacted and recovered the equipment.

The loader was removed from the property and returned to the dealership.

Felony Charge Filed

Following the recovery, prosecutors filed a felony theft charge.

Court documents allege the equipment was kept without proper payment.

The charge reflects the value of the loader, according to Minnesota law.

No additional charges were listed in the filing.

Bopp’s next court appearance has not yet been released.

Case Process And Rights

Felony theft cases are handled in district court.

Penalties can include prison time and fines if a conviction occurs.

Criminal charges are accusations and are not proof of guilt.

The defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.

Helpful Links

More information on Minnesota theft laws is available at the Minnesota Revisor of Statutes.

Court case information can be found through the Minnesota Judicial Branch.

Marshall County government resources are available at Marshall County, MN.

I’m Chris Harper reporting for TRF News.