Becker Co., Cass Lake Man Sentenced for Burglary, DWI
Becker County ( trfnews.i234.me ) – A Cass Lake man has been sentenced in Becker County District Court for burglary, property damage, and DWI charges tied to a string of incidents in August 2024. Court records show James Lawrence TeJohn, 40, was sentenced on September 3 by Judge Gretchen Thilmony.
According to investigators, on August 18, 2024, TeJohn entered a garage in Lakeview Township and stole a bicycle, later admitting he also took an ATV parked nearby. A related burglary was reported at a neighboring guest house, where a bottle of Copper Still Jalapeño-flavored vodka was missing. TeJohn was found walking along Highway 59 showing signs of alcohol impairment. He was arrested and later tested with a blood alcohol concentration of .10.
TeJohn pleaded guilty to felony third-degree burglary and misdemeanor DWI. He was sentenced to 15 months in prison, stayed for five years, and was ordered to serve 39 days in jail, with credit for time served. He must pay $3,885.75 in restitution, along with $910 in fines and fees. Additional charges of second-degree burglary, felony motor vehicle theft, and misdemeanor theft were dropped under a plea agreement.
That same day, TeJohn was also sentenced in a separate property damage case. Investigators say he drove a stolen blue golf cart through a residential yard on Long Lake Drive in Detroit Lakes, smashing through a wire fence before abandoning the cart along Long Lake Road. The cart, valued at $4,500, had been taken from an open garage. Trail cameras captured TeJohn driving it before he was arrested on Highway 59 near Highway 22.
For that incident, TeJohn received a concurrent sentence of 15 months, stayed for five years, along with 39 days in jail (time served) and $250 restitution. He also received a concurrent misdemeanor DWI sentence of 39 days.
TeJohn was placed on supervised probation for five years, with conditions including abstaining from alcohol and drugs, random testing, a comprehensive assessment, and completion of cognitive skills programming. Minnesota burglary laws outline penalties for third-degree burglary convictions.
I’m Chris Harper reporting for TRF News
James Lawrence TeJohn