Becker Co. Charges Dismissed After Competency Ruling
Becker County (trfnews.i234.me) – A Detroit Lakes man had multiple felony and misdemeanor charges dismissed after he was found unable to regain competency despite court-ordered treatment.
According to Becker County District Court records, Mauricio Edgar Armondo Guerra, 33, faced charges stemming from a February 9, 2023, incident at Don Pablo’s Restaurant in Detroit Lakes. Guerra, in a wheelchair, allegedly took a customer’s cellphone valued at $1,200. Law enforcement tracked the phone using its IMEI number and found it in Guerra’s possession. He admitted discarding the phone case at a nearby mall. The device appeared reset, and its SIM card was removed.
During the attempted arrest, Guerra resisted officers by preventing his wheelchair from being moved. He refused repeated commands to comply and lunged at an officer before being restrained and taken to jail.
At the jail, deputies found a stolen wallet in Guerra’s possession. The wallet contained multiple cards and identification belonging to a woman who reported it stolen from the Detroit Lakes Library on February 1, 2023. Officers also discovered a $350 check made out to Guerra, endorsed on the back by him but not signed by the account holder. The woman told authorities she had not issued the check and that it was missing from her wallet.
On September 3, 2025, felony charges of theft and attempted check forgery, along with misdemeanor counts of obstructing the legal process and receiving stolen property, were dismissed by the Becker County Attorney’s Office. Prosecutors noted that despite commitment and treatment, Guerra had not regained competency to stand trial.
For more information on competency and criminal cases, visit the Minnesota Judicial Branch.
I’m Chris Harper reporting for TRF News.
