Bagley, Clearwater County (trfnews.i234.me) — A Casselton, North Dakota, man faces felony charges over the purchase of a Polaris Ranger.
Paul Joseph Baumler, 62, is charged with three felony counts of Issuance of Dishonored Check. The case is filed under Minnesota Statute 609.535.
What investigators allege
According to the complaint, Baumler agreed to buy a Polaris Ranger for $25,500. Polaris describes the vehicle line on its official Ranger page.
Court papers say Baumler tried to pay with three separate checks. The business reported that none of the checks cleared.
The first check was dated Nov. 22, 2024, the complaint says. The owner reported a second check on Dec. 4, 2024. The owner reported a third check on Dec. 17, 2024. Investigators say each check failed.
The complaint says Baumler returned on Jan. 7, 2025. The owner reported that Baumler paid $20,000 in cash. The complaint says that it left a $5,500 balance.
Police say Baumler later promised to pay the rest by Feb. 6, 2026. The complaint says that the date passed without full payment. The owner told police a UPS package arrived on Feb. 18. The package reportedly held two $1,000 money orders. Court documents say $3,500 still remains unpaid.
The complaint says police and the owner made repeated contacts. Court papers also note contact from the county attorney’s office. The owner said the remaining balance was still unpaid.
Charges and court status
Prosecutors filed three felony counts tied to the failed checks, court records say. The statute can allow multiple checks to be counted together. Readers can review the law text through the Revisor link above.
Baumler was charged by summons, according to court documents. He is expected to appear in Clearwater County District Court in Bagley. No bail amount is listed because the case began by summons.
Charges are allegations and must be proven in court. Case updates may appear on Minnesota Court Records Online (MCRO).
- Alleged offense date: Nov. 22, 2024
- Date filed: Feb. 2, 2026
I’m Chris Harper reporting for TRF News.