Thief River Falls (trfnews.i234.me) Prosecutors in Pennington County filed five charges against Tanner Lyle Peterson. The counts involve a stolen gun and a Nintendo Switch.
The charges cover alleged acts from Oct. 29 to Nov. 19, 2025. Two felony counts list a maximum of 20 years in prison.
What court records allege
A criminal complaint says a Ruger .22 revolver went missing from a home in late 2025. The report came from the gun owner’s father on December 19, 2025.
Police then spoke with the owner, listed as J.S. in court records. J.S. said Peterson moved in around mid-October 2025. He said items started vanishing soon after.
J.S. said a Nintendo Switch disappeared first. He confronted Peterson on December 9, 2025. J.S. said Peterson admitted to taking it. He said Peterson traded it for kratom.
After Peterson left the home, J.S. reported more missing items. He said another Switch and comic books were gone. He said he did not make a report then.
On December 19, 2025, J.S. noticed the revolver was missing. He said it had been stored in a case in his bedroom closet. Records list the gun as a Ruger New Model Single-Six Convertible.
Phone messages and pawn record
Investigators later obtained a warrant to search Peterson’s phone, the complaint says. They found a message dated October 29, 2025. It asked if anyone wanted a gun. It included a photo of a revolver in a case.
Court records also describe contact with Kevine Browne. Browne told police he knew Peterson from jail. Browne said he gave Peterson a ride to pawn a Switch.
Browne said Peterson did not have an ID. Browne said he pawned the Switch for Peterson. Police checked Northern Gun and Pawn in Thief River Falls, records say.
Records show Browne pawned a Nintendo Switch there in late November 2025. Browne said he received $100. He said he handed the money to Peterson.
Police later recovered the Switch from the shop, the complaint says. J.S. identified it from a photo. He described it as a Zelda special edition model.
How the gun was found
Investigators also reviewed Snapchat chats, court records say. They found a conversation about selling a firearm. Police traced the buyer to a man listed as N.F.
N.F. told police he and another man, listed as P.O., paid $200 total. N.F. said Peterson signed a short sale note. N.F. also showed a serial number photo.
Police said the serial number matched the stolen Ruger. N.F. said the gun was kept with a friend in Middle River. Court records list that friend as B.G.
Police later recovered the Ruger with help from the group, the complaint says. The alleged sale note lists November 19, 2025. It lists the price as $200.
Charges filed in Pennington County
- Felony theft involving a firearm.
- Felony receiving stolen property involving a firearm.
- Gross misdemeanor for a pistol transfer report claim.
- Gross misdemeanor for firearm possession after a felony conviction.
- Misdemeanor theft involving a Nintendo Switch.
The case is filed in Pennington County District Court. A complaint is not proof of guilt. Peterson is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
Learn more about Minnesota theft law at Minn. Stat. 609.52. Read receiving stolen property law at Minn. Stat. 609.53.
Firearm transfer reporting rules are at Minn. Stat. 624.7132. Firearm possession limits are at Minn. Stat. 624.713.
Public court information is available through the Minnesota Judicial Branch.
I’m Chris Harper reporting for TRF News.
