BEMIDJI (trfnews.i234.me) – A young inmate is facing another felony charge after jail officials made a dangerous discovery.
18-year-old Ryan Matthew Novak-Hoff, already incarcerated at Beltrami County Jail on a juvenile assault charge from Winona County, was found with a 5-inch homemade weapon in his cell on June 26th.
According to court records, the improvised shank was crafted from sharpened materials and had a string-wrapped handle, with the blade reportedly honed against the concrete bricks of his cell wall.
Novak-Hoff is now charged with felony introduction of a weapon into jail, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison.
His case adds to growing concerns about inmate-made weapons and security breaches in county jails.
I’m Chris Harper reporting for TRF News.