Thief River Falls, MN (trfnews.i234.me) – Duane Earl Hennager, 55, from Thief River Falls, was sentenced in Pennington County District Court on April 29 for stealing $1,700 worth of merchandise from a local business. He received a four-year stay of imposition and was ordered to undergo mental health services recommended by his providers, with additional conditions not to possess firearms or explosives, and to provide a DNA sample. He must pay $135 in fees, fines, and $1,689.85 in restitution.
The theft was discovered after a report from Pennington County Human Services regarding welfare fraud. Hennager was caught on video scanning some items with an EBT card but failing to scan others, using a Kool-Aid packet as a decoy. He completed 20 fraudulent transactions between May 3 and July 23, 2023, totaling $1,689.85. Additionally, he spent $453.86 legitimately during these transactions.
Despite attempts by a sheriff’s deputy to discuss the case, Hennager avoided contact and failed to return calls, prompting further investigation.