Detroit Lakes Stop Brings Charges for Two Men

Detroit Lakes (trfnews.i234.me) — A traffic stop in Detroit Lakes has led to criminal charges against Jesse Scott Ross and Dale Richard Herk, according to a complaint filed in Becker County District Court.

Court records say the stop happened on February 8, 2026, near Frazee Street and Washington Avenue. Authorities said a white 2002 Toyota RAV4 was seen with Minnesota plates that belonged to a blue 2022 Subaru.

What Court Records Allege

According to the complaint, the Subaru linked to those plates had already been sold to Muscatell GMC in Detroit Lakes. The records say the Subaru registration had been changed to North Dakota, and the plates had been removed.

Authorities stopped the RAV4 after it left the Central Market parking lot and turned onto McKinley Avenue. Jesse Scott Ross was identified as the driver. Dale Richard Herk was identified as the passenger.

The complaint says Herk told authorities he owned the vehicle. He said he had bought it about a week earlier from Leif John Carlson in Frazee. Court records say neither man could explain why the RAV4 had plates assigned to a different vehicle.

The complaint also says Herk told authorities there was no insurance on the RAV4. Investigators later found the vehicle had last been registered in 2023 to Shawn Ohman.

Charges Filed

Herk is charged with intent to escape taxation under Minnesota Statute 168.35. He is also charged with failure to provide insurance information under Minnesota Statute 169.791.

Ross is charged with driving after revocation under Minnesota Statute 171.24.

The complaint also states both Ross and Herk had revoked driving privileges at the time of the stop. The filing further notes Ross has prior convictions tied to license plate misuse and repeated insurance-related offenses. Those are allegations in the complaint, and the case has not been decided in court.