ST. PAUL - Thanks to a steady stream of tips from the public, nearly one third of the non-compliant predatory offenders highlighted in a news release last week by the Minnesota Department of Public Safety (DPS) have been located.
- Local law enforcement followed a tip and arrested Nicholas Franklin Edwards, 29, Friday, June 18, in Little Falls, Minn. Edwards is now in Crow Wing County Jail.
- An anonymous tip also led law enforcement to Albert Benaise III. Benaise, 20, was arrested Friday, June 18, at a Beltrami County residence.
- Deandre Demone Bratton, 22, turned himself in to authorities in Hennepin County Tuesday, June 15th, the same day DPS announced he was a non-compliant offender.
- Also on June 15, a northern Minnesota county attorney's office employee provided information on the whereabouts of Brian Platt. Platt is incarcerated in California.
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Non-compliance with Minnesota's predatory offender registry requirements is a felony. First-time violators receive one-year plus one-day in prison; those who violate more than once can receive up to five years in prison. All are required to register for an additional five years.
"Minnesotans have come forward to provide information investigators needed to take these individuals into custody," said Bureau of Criminal Apprehension Assistant Superintendent David Bjerga. "We will continue to track down non-compliant offenders and we hope the public continues to help."
The BCA first reached out to the public for leads through a news release and through its Facebook page a week ago at http://tinyurl.com/2fu3u3h .
Eleven of the originally identified 15 individuals remain non-compliant with Minnesota Predatory Offender Registry requirements. Photos can be found at https://mndeptpublicsafety.sharefile.com/d-s2eed485fd3e43088 .
Any persons with information on the whereabouts of the individuals listed below are asked to contact the BCA at 651-793-7070 or 888-234-1248, submit a tip anonymously on https://por.state.mn.us , or contact your local law enforcement agency.
- Larry Marshall Leach, 48, last known address County Hwy 10, Frazee, Minn. Leach has tattoos on both upper arms.
- Seth Ambrose Bissonette, 67, last known address, Roosevelt Road Southeast, Bemidji.
- Charles Warren Mentges, 56, last known address Fourth Street Northwest, Bemidji.
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- Joseph Allen Jones Jr., 26, homeless in Cass Lake. Jones has a pierced left ear, scars on both eyebrows and tattoos on his chest, right shoulder, left wrist and hand, right upper arm and shoulder.
- Timothy Jay Mercier Sr., 42, last known address Fifth Street, Pine River, Minn. Mercier has scars on his left wrist, ankle and leg.
- Robert Allen Smith, 60, last known address Mae Bill Drive Northeast, Longville, Minn. Smith has scars on his neck and abdomen.
- David Benjamin Johnston, 54, last known address Rosewood Street, Brainerd, Minn. Johnston has scars on his forehead, left wrist and right arm and wrist, and tattoos on his right and left arms.
- Lowry Dean Scarlett, 60, last known address PO Box 175, Clearbrook, Minn. Scarlett has scars on his cheek, chest, left forearm and left leg, and has tattoos on his left and right arms.
- Dale Anthony Roach, 64, last known address Wejack Road, Cass Lake. Roach has a tattoo on his left forearm and scars on his left eyebrow, forehead, abdomen, left arm and knee.
- Home Tyloung, 60, last known address Third Lakewood Avenue, Warroad, Minn. Tyloung has tattoos on his arms.
- Joel Elias Lempiainen, 82, last known address Fourth Street Northwest, Wadena, Minn.
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The Bemidji Pioneer and the Herald are Forum Communications Co. newspapers.
