Becker County ( trfnews.i234.me ) – A Detroit Lakes man has been acquitted of a felony charge involving Minnesota’s predatory offender registration law. A Becker County jury found him not guilty in late August.
According to court records, 36-year-old Bernard Frank Shore was required to register as a predatory offender after a prior conviction for fourth-degree criminal sexual conduct. Shore also had two earlier convictions for failing to register, one in 2009 and another in 2014.
The case began after Detroit Lakes police conducted a routine check on October 10, 2024, at Shore’s last known residence on Eighth Street Southeast. Officers learned that Shore had moved out before June 1. Court filings state he did not update his address with the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension as required by law. Records also show the BCA mailed a verification packet to Shore on July 19, 2024, but it was never returned.
Prosecutors charged Shore with felony failure to register. On August 26, a Becker County jury acquitted him of the charge. Court documents do not explain the jury’s reasoning for the verdict. Shore’s attorney, Lisa Tufts of Detroit Lakes, represented him during the trial.
Prosecution filings before trial indicated plans to limit arguments about the constitutionality of searches and the manner in which Shore’s statements were taken. The state also requested permission to use Shore’s prior convictions to impeach his credibility if he testified. Records do not show how the judge ruled on these requests before the jury’s verdict.
Shore’s acquittal highlights the complexities of Minnesota’s predatory offender registration law, which requires offenders to update their addresses and respond to verification notices. Despite his prior convictions for failing to register, the jury cleared him in this latest case.
I’m Chris Harper reporting for TRF News.
Bernard Frank Shore