Benson County, North Dakota ( trfnews.i234.me ) – Benson County Chief Deputy Travis Carlson is facing multiple criminal charges, including three felony counts of tampering with public records and several misdemeanors, following a series of alleged incidents involving unlawful arrests, misuse of authority, and harassment.
According to court documents:
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Felony Tampering with Public Records (3 counts):
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Two charges stem from April 9, 2025, when Carlson allegedly arrested two tribal members on tribal land without approval from the Bureau of Indian Affairs. He is accused of falsifying probable cause statements, claiming concurrent jurisdiction — something not legally possible.
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A third felony charge arises from May 27, 2025, when Carlson allegedly arrested two tribal members for felony offenses, transported them to tribal court for an extradition hearing (described as a legal impossibility), and later transferred them to the Lake Region Law Enforcement Center off-reservation.
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Misdemeanor Official Oppression (4 counts):
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Two counts tied to the April 9 arrests of tribal members.
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One count linked to the alleged illegal detention and mistreatment of a juvenile passenger during a traffic incident on September 30, 2024.
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Another count stemming from an August 7, 2024 nighttime traffic stop alleged to have no legitimate purpose.
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Misdemeanor Public Servant Refusing to Perform Duty (2 counts):
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Allegedly refused to identify a key law enforcement witness in an April 17, 2025 arrest incident.
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Allegedly failed to file or present a report on an April 2024 burglary investigation after repeated requests from the State’s Attorney.
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Misdemeanor Disorderly Conduct (3 counts):
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Accused of repeatedly making sexual innuendos toward a female law enforcement officer under his supervision.
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Accused of harassing a Benson County employee by grabbing her shoulders while in uniform and later telling her to turn off surveillance cameras at her home after a domestic incident.
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Accused of following a detained female into a women’s bathroom and recording with his body camera while she provided a urine sample for drug testing, which reportedly left her “alarmed, harassed, and annoyed.”
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If convicted, the felony tampering charges carry a maximum penalty of five years in prison.
The case remains under investigation, and additional court filings are expected.
I’m Chris Harper reporting for TRF News.