MINNEAPOLIS – A Rochester man who fled to Mexico to evade apprehension, and was later located and returned by Mexican authorities, was sentenced to 78 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release and ordered to pay $39,028 in restitution for the arson of two retail stores and a school during the summer of 2020, announced United States Attorney Andrew M. Luger.

According to court documents, on May 28, 2020, Jose Angel Felan, Jr., 36, set fire to the Goodwill retail store, the Gordon Parks High School, and the 7 Mile Sportswear store, all of which were located on University Avenue in St. Paul. Following the arsons, Felan and his wife and co-defendant Mena Dhaya Yousif, 23, fled the state. Felan and Yousif traveled by car from Rochester, Minnesota, to Texas, where Felan had family. Ultimately, Felan and Yousif fled the United States and escaped to Mexico. On February 15, 2021, following an anonymous tip, Felan and Yousif were located and detained by Mexican immigration authorities and returned to the United States.

Felan was sentenced today in U.S. District Court before Senior Judge David S. Doty. On February 24, 2022, he pleaded guilty to one count of arson.

This case was the result of an investigation conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the FBI, the St. Paul Police Department, the Rochester Police Department, the St. Paul Fire Department, and the Minnesota State Fire Marshal Division. The fugitive apprehension efforts were led by the U.S. Marshals Service.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Melinda A. Williams and Emily A. Polachek prosecuted the case.

US Department of Justice

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This is great news! Finally catching those accountable for killing Trinity!!
If you remember she was jumping on a friend trampoline at a birthday party when she was hit by a bullet. Read the earlier post here: Trinity Ottoson-Smith murder

Dpree Robinson charged in fatal shooting of nine-year-old girl

Read Robinson’s warrant:

A Minneapolis man with ties to an area gang has been charged for the shooting death of a nine-year-old female victim during an attempted drive-by shooting, Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman announced Thursday. At the time of the shooting, the victim was playing in her backyard when she was struck by a stray bullet.

Dpree Robinson, 19, was charged with a single count of intentional second-degree murder for the shooting that killed the victim in North Minneapolis in mid-May 2021.

He is scheduled for his first appearance Feb. 24 at 1:30 p.m.

“The sadness that comes with this arrest and charge is the reminder that an innocent nine-year-old child was shot and killed last year while playing on her trampoline,” Freeman stated. “I cannot express enough sympathy to her family and loved ones.”

“Now that our office has the case, I can definitively say that we will do our part in the criminal justice system, and prosecute the defendant to the fullest extent of the law.”

“I also want to commend the BCA for the superb job they did investigating this case,” Freeman said.

According to the criminal complaint, on May 15, 2021, Minneapolis police went to the 2200 block of Ilion Avenue North in response to shots fired picked up by ShotSpotter activation. When they arrived, officers found the female victim fatally shot in her backyard.

Video footage from the area showed the incident was a drive-by shooting. The intended targets can be seen on a side porch of the house, with the trampoline between them and the shooter, Robinson.

After the shooting, video captured one of the men on the porch running after the car Robinson was driving, a 2014 Ford Fusion, and firing three shots. Three 9mm cartridges were found in the alley where the man shot at the vehicle, the complaint says.

Over the course of the investigation, officers learned that Robinson purchased the car on May 12, 2021, and told the man from whom he bought it to say nothing about the purchase of the car. It was also discovered through surveillance footage, or license plate reader (LPR), that Robinson’s cell phone was in the same area as the vehicle, the complaint states.

After the shooting, Robinson searched the internet for ways to change the paint on a 2014 Ford Fusion, and then stopped using his cell phone entirely, the complaint says. Despite a nation-wide search for his car, it was never found.The last known appearance was on May 15, 2021, after the shooting occurred.

Search warrants executed on Robinson’s social media accounts revealed he posted that he was an active shooter for the Black Disciples Criminal Street Gang, and made references to guns, shooting, and the “opps,” which is street slang for “opposition” or “rival gangs,” the complaint states.

In addition, Robinson had exchanged social media messages with his girlfriend, A.H., in which she referenced him as a “child killer,” and stated, “i hope you die for killin that lil girl.”

Further investigation found that Robinson had engaged in threatening social media communications with a male resident at the house where the victim was shot.

In February 2022, investigators spoke with a witness who told them that Robinson admitted to being at the house when the shooting happened, the complaint states.

Additional surveillance footage reviewed contained audio which showed that the victim was shot prior to the return gunfire from one of the intended targets. And, the return shots occurred after the man ran past where the victim was struck, with him in the alley pointing his gun at Robinson in his car as he drives away from the scene, the complaint states.

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From St. Louis Park police:

Update: Suspects charged following arrests for carjacking, vehicle thefts and robberies in St. Louis Park

Post Date:January 19, 2022 6:38 p.m.

Update: On Jan. 21, 2022, the two suspects referenced below were charged in Hennepin County District Court. Both were charged with multiple felony crimes and bail was set at $250,000 each. Read the complaints for Kashwan Jason Wertman and for Nautica Alaja Argue.

On Saturday, Jan. 15, 2022, at around 1:15 p.m., St. Louis Park police officers responded to the 2700 block of Louisiana Court South in St. Louis Park on report of a robbery. Suspects threatened to shoot an adult female driver, then took her car keys. The suspects left in both the victim’s vehicle and a second vehicle which was determined to be one stolen in St. Louis Park earlier in the week.

The St. Louis Park Police Department, in collaboration with more than 12 local, county and state agencies, determined that the suspects in this case were KASHWAN JASON WERTMAN (9-8-03) and NAUTICA ALAJA ARGUE (10-28-02), both St. Paul residents. Further investigation led investigators to determine that Wertman and Argue were suspects in many other incidents, including eight in St. Louis Park. Incidents include:

One 1st Degree Aggravated Robbery – St. Louis Park
Six 2nd Degree Aggravated Robberies – St. Louis Park, White Bear Lake, Roseville, Richfield, Brooklyn Center and Woodbury
13 Simple Robberies – St. Louis Park (6), Columbia Heights (2), Plymouth, Roseville, Edina and Ramsey County
One Attempted Simple Robbery – Eagan
One Motor Vehicle Theft – St. Louis Park
One Flee Police in Motor Vehicle – Ramsey County

On Jan. 18, St. Louis Park Investigators issued a probable cause arrest notice to area law enforcement agencies and provided information that Wertman and Argue were believed to be driving a silver Audi TT, taken Jan. 16, in a robbery from an adult female victim in the 5500 block of Cedar Lake Road in St. Louis Park.

At approximately 6:18 p.m. Jan. 18, the stolen Audi was located and fled from law enforcement officers. St. Louis Park officers were not involved in the subsequent pursuit that proceeded through numerous cities. The vehicle eventually stopped and its occupants, Wertman and Argue, were arrested in St. Paul in the 1700 block of Maryland Avenue East. The suspects were found to be in possession of evidence connected to the other incidents above. Both suspects remain in custody in the Hennepin County Adult Detention Center in Minneapolis and have been questioned by St. Louis Park police investigators.

Wertman was charged in an April 11, 2021, aggravated robbery involving use of a firearm occurring in St. Louis Park. At the time of last night’s arrest, Wertman had multiple active arrest warrants, including one stemming from that incident. Five others included 2nd Degree Assault, Motor Vehicle Theft, Domestic Assault and Tampering with a Motor Vehicle.

The case file described above, and related cases covering crimes attributable to Wertman and Argue, are being submitted to the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office for charging. Other charges will be submitted to the Ramsey and Washington county attorney’s offices.

Other ongoing investigations in St. Louis Park and other jurisdictions with connections to Wertman and Argue will result in charging submissions in the future.

Special thanks to Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office investigators and analysts and to officers and deputies from the Minneapolis Police Department, St. Paul Police Department and Ramsey County Sheriff’s Office for their assistance in locating the suspects and stolen vehicles involved.

The St. Louis Park Police Department will continue to investigate additional related incidents in the coming days. Anyone with additional information on any related cases should call the St. Louis Park Police at 952.924.2600.

The law enforcement efforts that led to the arrests of Wertman and Argue are a successful first step in confronting those responsible for the violence that has impacted so many victims directly. It is also a critical step toward combating the increase in violent crime that has plagued so many communities of late. Law enforcement’s continuing partnerships with one another, and our vigilance in taking on this violent crime, is a responsibility taken seriously by our agencies and is a reflection of our commitment to those in our communities that we serve and have sworn to keep safe.

From Sheriff Fletcher:

Thank you to the many agencies that assisted the Ramsey County Carjacking & Auto Theft “CAT” Unit in arresting two parties wanted for 5 carjackings and three other robberies over the past 10 days in St. Louis Park. The one hour pursuit was a total team effort with help from the Minnesota State Patrol, Minneapolis Police Department, Hennepin County Sheriffs Office, Roseville Police Department, St. Paul Police Department, Washington County Sheriffs Office, Dakota County Sheriffs Office and others. A special thank you to the staff monitoring the state highway cameras. You were our “most valuable player” last night. At the speed the suspects were traveling we would never have apprehended them without your outstanding work.

[Hennepin county da, and ag Ellison have allowed this to go on and they are weak at prosecuting thugs]

From Hennepin County Attorneys office:
Wertman, Argue charged in connection to numerous carjacking-related offenses

Two individuals involved in more than 20 carjacking-related offenses across Hennepin County, and neighboring cities, have been charged. This comes following a multi-jurisdictional law enforcement effort that apprehend the two suspects, Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman announced Friday.

Kashawn Wertman, 18, of St. Paul, and 19-year-old Nautica Argue, of St. Paul, are facing a combined 31 counts for their involvement in numerous cross-county carjacking-related offenses that occurred between Jan. 7 – Jan. 17. These charges range from aggravated robbery to theft from a person.

Presently, Wertman has been charged with 17 counts, while Argue faces 14 counts. While the investigation is on-going, it is anticipated that additional charges will be filed.

First appearances for Wertman and Argue have been scheduled for Jan. 21 at 2:30 p.m.

“The excellent police work by the numerous law enforcement agencies in the greater Twin Cities area has resulted in the apprehension of two dangerous people, who had terrorized countless community members,” Freeman stated.

“Our office will now do our part as the charging agency in the criminal justice system, and prosecute these defendants to the fullest extent of the law.”

According to the criminal complaint, between Jan. 7 – Jan. 17, Wertman and Argue were involved in nearly 25 carjacking-related offenses which occurred in St. Louis Park, Plymouth, Richfield, Brooklyn Center, Minneapolis, Edina, White Bear Lake, Roseville, Columbia Heights, Lakeville, Eagan, Little Canada, Burnsville, Woodbury, and Saint Paul.

A total of 10 vehicles were stolen violently from victims that were used to commit these offenses.

On Jan. 18, Ramsey County Sheriff’s deputies went to the 1700 block of Maryland Avenue in St. Paul in search of Wertman. Officers later encountered the stolen Audi TT being driven by Wertman with Argue in the passenger seat.

When officers attempted to stop the vehicle, Wertman began to speed off. He eventually drove into the Cedar Riverside neighborhood and then back to the 1700 block of Maryland Avenue in St. Paul where additional police were waiting, the complaint states.

Both Wertman and Argue admitted to certain offenses when speaking with law enforcement following their arrests.

Upon Wertman’s arrest, Wertman told police that they should be “out arresting murderers, not people who steal cars.”

Bail has been set for Argue at $250K without conditions, $150K with conditions.

At the request of the defense, the bail argument for Wertman has been reserved.
Quick video on the thugs:

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