Thief River Falls, MN (trfnews.i234.me) – Dennis Obert Hovet, 64, of Goodridge, has been charged in Pennington County District Court with two felony counts of receiving stolen property—firearm. A warrant has been issued for his arrest as he remains incarcerated at the Northwest Regional Corrections Center in Crookston on charges out of Polk and Red Lake counties.
The Pennington County charges allege that Hovet possessed a Walther PPQ 9mm handgun and a Savage Model 3 .270-caliber rifle, knowing they were stolen. These firearms were discovered during a search of Hovet’s home at 12675 390th Ave. S.E. on March 1, executed by law enforcement officials from Polk and Pennington Counties, along with a Pine to Prairie Drug Task Force officer.
The investigation revealed that the firearms had been stolen, but it was unclear from where they were originally reported stolen. Additional firearms found at Hovet’s residence included a CRA 20-gauge single-shot shotgun, a Remington 32 .22LR bolt-action rifle, and a Remington 870 Express 12-gauge shotgun. The 20-gauge shotgun and the .22LR rifle were determined to have been stolen from a Fosston home on February 8 while the owner attended her husband’s funeral. The 12-gauge shotgun was reported stolen in Marshall County.
Hovet is currently facing charges in Polk County, including first-degree burglary and theft of a firearm, with a trial set for July 29. In Red Lake County, he faces charges of first-degree burglary for allegedly stealing a Remington 700 SPS 25-06 gun while the homeowner attended a funeral on September 1. Hovet allegedly admitted to selling the gun.
Hovet has a history of theft-related offenses, including a felony theft conviction in 1992 and a misdemeanor theft charge in 2022 for which he received a stay of adjudication. The ongoing investigation and multiple charges highlight Hovet’s extensive involvement in theft-related crimes across several counties.