Newfolden (trfnews.i234.me) A Manitoba man is facing a felony theft charge after a firearm was allegedly taken from a gun show in Newfolden.
Wilfred John Kachurowsky, 73, of Dauphin, Manitoba, has been charged in Marshall County District Court. The charge is felony theft. Court records say the case stems from an incident at the Agassiz Rod and Gun Club Show. The show was held in the Marshall County Central High School gym.
Charge Filed After Gun Show Incident
According to the criminal complaint, deputies were called to the show at about 8:57 a.m. on Saturday, March 21. By the time law enforcement arrived, Kachurowsky had already been stopped.
The complaint says the gun owner reported seeing Kachurowsky place a firearm into a bag and walk away. An off-duty deputy was also at the show. A retired deputy sheriff also gave a written statement.
The owner told investigators he had been watching Kachurowsky closely. He said Kachurowsky matched the description of a person linked to another gun show theft report in Grand Forks.
The complaint says Kachurowsky first handled a .38-caliber firearm. He then set it down. A short time later, he allegedly took a Taurus Judge revolver and placed it into his bag before walking away.
Witnesses and Video Cited
A retired deputy told investigators he saw the firearm being slid into Kachurowsky’s cart. He then alerted the owner. The owner chased after Kachurowsky and recovered the gun.
Kachurowsky denied stealing anything. He said he was trying to find someone to talk to about buying the firearm. He also said he never left the building.
Investigators also reviewed surveillance video, according to the complaint. The video allegedly showed Kachurowsky placing the revolver in his bag and walking past the booth owner. The complaint says the owner was standing only 10 to 12 feet away.
The video also allegedly showed the retired deputy watching Kachurowsky, then pointing him out to the owner. The owner then ran after him and took back the firearm.
Medical Check and Jail Booking
Kachurowsky said he was attacked during the encounter. The complaint says he had a red mark under his left eye. He asked that the owner be charged with assault.
Because he said he was hurt, Kachurowsky was taken to Sanford Health for evaluation. The complaint says both a CT scan and an X-ray were negative.
He was then taken to the Pennington County Jail, which houses inmates for Marshall County. After being advised of his rights, the complaint says Kachurowsky asked for a lawyer.
Firearm Sales Issue Noted
The owner also told investigators that federally licensed gun dealers cannot sell firearms to Canadians. General firearm rules and federal guidance can be found through the ATF. Court case information in Minnesota is available through the Minnesota Judicial Branch.
The charge remains an allegation unless proven in court.
I’m Chris Harper reporting for TRF News.