Crookston Court No-Show Brings Felony Charge
CROOKSTON, Minn. (trfnews.i234.me) — A Grand Forks man faces a felony failure-to-appear charge in Polk County District Court.
Roberto Carlos Lopez Jr. is accused of missing a required hearing connected to an earlier felony case. A newly filed complaint says a warrant remains active.
Earlier Property Damage Case
Court records say Lopez first appeared in the earlier case on May 29, 2025. He was charged with first-degree criminal damage to property.
That offense carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison and a $10,000 fine.
At that hearing, Judge Jeffrey Remick set bail at $800 cash. Lopez could instead post an $8,000 surety bond.
Release conditions required Lopez to attend every future court hearing.
The written release order warned that missing court could lead to another criminal charge. It also warned that a judge could issue an arrest warrant.
Warrant Issued After Missed Hearing
According to the complaint, Lopez failed to appear for a hearing on December 11, 2025. Judge Corey Harbott then issued a warrant.
The new case charges Lopez with felony failure to appear under Minnesota Statute 609.49.
The complaint lists a maximum penalty of 30 months in prison. It also lists a possible $5,000 fine.
Complaint Contains Conflicting Dates
The charging document contains a date conflict. Its count section lists the offense date as May 15, 2025.
However, the probable-cause section says Lopez first appeared on May 29, 2025. It identifies the missed hearing as December 11, 2025.
That discrepancy appears in the filed complaint. The court may address or correct it during later proceedings.
The complaint says Lopez’s location was unknown when the document was prepared. It says he remained on active warrant status at that time.
Other Cases Listed in Filing
The filing references other court matters in North Dakota and Texas. It lists a prior Grand Forks disorderly conduct conviction.
The complaint also identifies pending cases involving assault, marijuana possession, theft, and evading detention.
Public Minnesota court information may be available through Minnesota Court Records Online.
A criminal complaint contains allegations. Lopez is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.
I’m Chris Harper reporting for TRF News.