Department of Justice

U.S. Attorney’s Office
District of Minnesota

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE. Wednesday, April 28, 2021
Brainerd Man Sentenced To Prison, $12 Million In Restitution For Minneapolis Police Third Precinct Arson

MINNEAPOLIS – A Brainerd man was sentenced today to 48 months in prison for his role in the arsons at the Minneapolis Police Department’s Third Precinct building.

According to court documents, on the night of May 28, 2020, Dylan Shakespeare Robinson, 23, went to the Third Precinct where a crowd of hundreds had gathered. At one point, the crowd began shouting, “Burn it down, burn it down.” Soon after, a fence that was designed to keep trespassers out of the Third Precinct was torn down. Robinson, along with other co-conspirators, breached the fence and entered the building. Robinson, assisted by an unidentified co-conspirator, lit an object held by the unidentified co-conspirator who threw it toward the Third Precinct building with the intent that it would start a fire or fuel an existing fire.

“On the night of May 28, 2020, Mr. Robinson chose to depart from lawful protest and instead engaged in violence and destruction. The arson at the Minneapolis Police Department’s Third Precinct put lives at risk and contributed to widespread lawlessness in Minneapolis,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Anders Folk. “With today’s sentence, Mr. Robinson is held accountable for his actions.”

“ATF is committed to investigating the civil unrest arsons of 2020 that occurred throughout the Twin Cities,” said Assistant Special Agent in Charge Jeff Reed, of the ATF St. Paul Field Division. “Arson, being inherently violent, is a serious crime that put many of our community members at risk, and it cannot be tolerated.”

“The danger posed by the defendant in this case was very real,” said Michael Paul, special agent in charge of the FBI’s Minneapolis field office. “Today’s sentencing sends a clear message—regardless of motivation, when someone is intent on conducting a violent act that breaks federal law, the FBI and our law enforcement partners will move assertively to hold them accountable. This type of behavior puts public servants and our entire community in danger, and we simply will not let it go unaddressed.”

On December 15, 2020, Robinson pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit arson. As part of his sentencing today, Robinson was ordered to serve two years of supervised release and pay $12 million in restitution.

Co-conspirators Bryce Michael Williams, 27, Davon De-Andre Turner, 25, and Branden Michael Wolfe, 23, have all pleaded guilty to one count each of conspiracy to commit arson for their roles in the arson at the Third Precinct building. They will be sentenced at a later date.

This case was the result of an investigation conducted jointly by the ATF, the FBI, the Minneapolis Police Department, and the Minnesota State Fire Marshal Division.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Harry M. Jacobs and David P. Steinkamp.

DOJ

DYLAN SHAKESPEARE ROBINSON, 22

Brainerd, Minn.

Charges:

Conspiracy to commit arson, 1 count

Read the indictment

Views: 19

Investigators believe there are still members of the community that have information about this case.

Late-night homicide in Cedar-Riverside claims life of young dancer
By Roxanne Bergeron | June 19, 2008

Around 2 a.m. the morning of Wednesday, June 18, a man was found stabbed and unconscious near the intersection of South Seventh Street and 19th Avenue South, near Augsburg College in the Cedar-Riverside neighborhood. He died shortly thereafter at Hennepin County Medical Center.

The victim has been identified as 20-year-old Joseph Sodd, III, an alumnus of Perpich Center for Arts Education. He was a dancer and a student at Cornish College of the Arts in Seattle. No arrests have been made at this time. The Minneapolis Police Department Homicide Unit is investigating the crime.

The day before Sodd’s murder, a crime alert was issued for several neighborhoods on the East Bank near the University of Minnesota. Como, Marcy Holmes, Prospect Park and the University of Minnesota neighborhoods are involved in the alert. Three robberies of person have occurred since June 1, all involving female victims and black male suspects.

A personal safety workshop is scheduled for Tuesday, July 15 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at the Eastside Neighborhood Services, 1700 Second Street NE, Minneapolis. Call Second Precinct Crime Prevention Specialist Carol Oosterhuis at 612-673-2874 to register.

The crime alert advises the following:
Avoid carrying a purse or bag with valuables (large amounts of cash, checkbook, credit cards, etc). If you carry cash, carry a small amount in your front pocket or wear a waist pack that can be covered by a shirt or jacket. Do not resist if a robber wants your handbag. Being pulled down by the shoulder strap of your bag or purse can cause injuries.

Victims of robberies can be any age and race and can be men or women. Take the following precautions:

Try to walk with another person. If you are walking in or near the University of Minnesota, you can contact 624-WALK for the University escort service.

Carry as little cash as possible. Carry your keys and money in a pocket, not in a purse or wallet.

Be observant and aware of your surroundings. Avoid being absorbed in telephone conversations or music.

Avoid alleys or poorly lit areas.

If you feel uneasy, go directly to a place where there are other people.

If you are walking at night, choose well-lighted streets.

If a robber approaches you, do not resist. Try to get a good description of the robber, as well as vehicle description and license plate number. Call 911 immediately.

Do the Right Thing
By fearnoart44 | FEBRUARY 18, 2009 — 2:45PM

I knew him as “Booshi”. In the early morning of June 18, 2008 “Booshi” or Joseph Sodd III was violently murdered in the Cedar-Riverside area of Minneapolis.

His Mom and Dad, Liz and Joe, are old friends of mine. And Booshi was their first-born. Joe and Liz were one of the first of my friends to have a child, so this boy was something special to us. Over the years I moved out of town and lost touch with Joe and Liz, Booshi and their second child, Alden. But in 2004, there was a reunion of sorts and I was reacquainted with Joe and Liz. They could not stop talking about the now-high school student, Booshi and what a fantastic performer he was becoming. He was a dancer! Imagine that. Where did that gene come from? And how refreshing to encounter parents who actually relished the fact that their son was an artist. They loved that boy. And oh, were they proud of him.

No one should lose a child to such violence. His case remains unsolved. A reward has recently been offered. Someone out there must know something about this crime. Please do the right thing for this extraordinary young man and his family. Call Crimestoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS or the Minneapolis police at 1-800-692-TIPS

The First 48
S 8 E 10
Out of Sight / Missing Piece
Mar 19, 2009 | 45m 15s | TV-14
In Minneapolis, after a night out with friends, a college student is stabbed to death while getting on his scooter to ride home. During a canvass of the crime scene, lead investigator Sgt. John Holthusen is confronted with the neighborhood’s escalating violence when he catches a man being attacked. Holthusen must determine if the assailant is also the killer.
And in Miami, Detectives Rick Martinez and Emiliano Tamayo investigate the murder of a teenaged boy shot in a residential backyard. The case takes a dramatic turn, when detectives learn about a dispute between the victim and two of his teenaged friends. Detectives need find out if the friends are innocent or if they committed the ultimate act of betrayal.

You can watch it free on A&E tv sign in with your cable company login or on the AETV app just create a free profile and it’s free. You can watch it on Hulu. It is also on demand!

Views: 7696

The other occupant in the car is said to be a member of the ‘east side boys’ gang!  Jaques is an innocent victim caught in the middle of gang warfare when she was shot and killed on the Eastside of St. Paul!

A plea to break ‘code of silence’ in unsolved St. Paul homicides
APRIL 3, 2009 — 9:33AM
Startribune

Determined to not let three unsolved murder cases go cold, St. Paul police joined victims’ survivors Thursday in seeking an end to the code of silence they say may be preventing assailants from being charged.

Police said the failure of witnesses and others to come forward with information has proved especially frustrating in the investigation of a triple homicide on Burgess Street in the city’s North End area in 2007.

That’s because two of the prime suspects in that case — Tyvarus Lindsey and Rashad Raleigh — already are in prison for separate murders committed elsewhere in the city.

But at a news conference drawing new attention to the unsolved crimes, police spokesman Peter Panos said it was hoped that locking up the violent offenders will give people the courage to tell police what they know about the Burgess Street case.

Investigators are also seeking information about a 2007 Frogtown homicide and a 2008 shooting death in the Dayton’s Bluff neighborhood.

“Stop this code of silence,” said Sharon Brown, whose son Eric Woulard, 21, was shot to death as he sat in a car in Frogtown in June 2007. “It’s not helping. It’s killing us.”

A look at the cases:

North End

On March 23, 2007, intruders broke into a home in the 200 block of Burgess Street and shot and killed Maria McLay, 32, her boyfriend Otahl Saunders, 31, and her daughter Brittany Kekedakis, 15. Two younger children escaped.

Raleigh, charged in the beating death of basketball star-turned-probation officer Howard Porter, pleaded guilty to first-degree murder in that case in return for a deal with prosecutors that he would not be charged by Ramsey County for the triple murder.

News that he may have been involved in the North End case surprised observers. But such was the viciousness of the homicides that several Burgess Street residents declined — out of fear — to comment about the development last August.

Lynnette Hartling, McLay’s mother and Kekedakis’ grandmother, said Thursday: “I know someone out there does know something. … Be brave and come forward.”

Frogtown

On June 16, 2007, Woulard was found fatally shot in a vehicle when police reported to a call of shots fired in the 600 block of Van Buren Avenue.

A few days later, police arrested a 24-year-old suspect, but he was not charged.

Dayton’s Bluff

On Oct. 25, 2008, Jaques Dortch, 18, was sitting in a parked car with friends near her home at 6th and Forest Streets when a lone gunman approached and fired shots into the car, killing her instantly.

People with information about the murders are asked to call police at 651-266-5650 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS. Crime Stoppers is offering rewards of up to $1,000 in each of the three cases.

An additional amount up to $15,000 also is available in the Burgess Street case.

By: Anthony Lonetree • 612-673-4109

Views: 144

Daniel Juarez was arrested and charged with domestic assault in April 2008 and pleaded guilty to several misdemeanor counts for those offenses. A restraining order was obtained against him by his wife after the April assault, but was lifted months later.

On 6 December 2008 Daniel Juarez was found dead in rural Sibley County, near Green Isle, MN. Juarez was found inside his 2003 black Chevrolet Trailblazer which was significantly burned. An autopsy has determined that Daniel Juarez was murdered. Daniel Juarez was the owner of DJ Satellite Service and El Heraldo Magazine which are located in Chaska, MN.

More clues surface in Chaska man’s death 5 March 2009

From Mankato free press

A new court filing is giving clues into the mysterious death of a Chaska businessman who was found in a burning SUV in December in a remote part of Sibley County.

Daniel Juarez, 42, lived a lifestyle far out of proportion with his state income, says the search warrant filed in Hennepin County District Court. The filing claims Juarez had monthly expenses totaling $8,500 to $10,000 but disclosed an income of only about $24,000 per year.

He owned DJ Satellite Service and the El Heraldo newspaper in Chaska.

Bureau of Criminal Apprehension agent C. Michael Phill says in the warrant that it’s clear Juarez was receiving a substantial amount of income from unknown sources, and that could be a sign of illegal activity.

Also, Wednesday’s search warrant for the first time states the body was found “burned in the rear cargo portion” of a sports utility vehicle owned by Juarez’ company.

Investigators are still saying little about how Juarez died and what might have happened before his body was found Dec. 6 in his 2003 black Trailblazer. The vehicle was burning when Sibley County deputies and firefighters responded to a wooded area 1 1/2 miles west of Highway 5 on Sibley County Road 180.

A final death certificate filed last month says Juarez died as a result of “homicide violence.” A further description by Dr. Janice Amatuzio, an Anoka County coroner who completed a forensic autopsy, said Juarez was injured by another person. It also says he died within minutes.

Juraez was born in Mexico and became a citizen in Chicago, where he also met his wife, Rosalba, before moving to Chaska, according to his sister Monica Schanus of Chaska. The couple had four children, two daughters and two sons, ranging in age from 7 to 14.

In addition to his house in Chaska, Juarez owned a duplex in Chaska, a four-plex in Minneapolis and a house in Mexico, Schanus said.

This Associated Press article contains information from The Free Press.

Sister seeks answers in brother’s murder 1 March 2009

From Mankato free press

It’s been about a month since Monica Schanus visited Green Isle, stopping at businesses and asking to put up posters offering a $10,000 reward for information about her brother’s murder.

She hasn’t heard about any major tips coming in and she’s worried people are forgetting about 42-year-old Daniel Juarez, a successful businessman who moved from Chicago to Chaska with his sister about 16 years ago. He was a busy man and Schanus is perplexed by his death.

“He didn’t have any enemies, so we don’t know why this happened,” Schanus said. “I saw my brother a few days before he died. He was very busy with his new newspaper business. He was very excited, talking about how things were going.”

Investigators are still saying little about how Juarez died and what might have happened before his body was found Dec. 6 in his 2003 black Trailblazer. The vehicle was burning when Sibley County deputies and firefighters responded to a wooded area 11⁄2 mile west of Highway 5 on Sibley County Road 180.

The reward poster — which includes a picture of Juarez, a description of his vehicle and the fact that he owned DJ Satellite Service and the El Heraldo newspaper in Chaska — is the last new information released by the Sheriff’s Department.

That was on Jan. 21. Sheriff Bruce Ponath said last week there is nothing new to report, including the cause of Juarez’s death.

A final death certificate filed recently says Juarez died as a result of “homicide violence.” A further description by Dr. Janice Amatuzio, an Anoka County coroner who completed a forensic autopsy, said Juarez was injured by another person. It also says he died within minutes.

Juarez wasn’t always a business owner, Schanus said. His first job in Minnesota was working in a Chaska food production plant that is now owned by Pillsbury, but wasn’t at that time.

He was born in Mexico and became a citizen in Chicago, where he also met his wife, Rosalba, before moving to Chaska. The couple had four children, two daughters and two sons, ranging in age from 7 to 14.

Schanus said the marriage had become rocky recently and her brother was considering a divorce. Court records show that an order for protection had been issued saying Juarez had to stay away from his family’s house.

In addition to his house in Chaska, Juarez owned a duplex in Chaska, a four-plex in Minneapolis and a house in Mexico, Schanus said.

Investigators told Schanus that Rosalba reported her husband left their house at 12:15 a.m. on Dec. 6, about four hours before he was found in Green Isle, which is about 25 miles to the west. Investigators also received reports that Juarez’s vehicle was seen at his girlfriend’s house in Burnsville, which is about 20 miles in the opposite direction, Schanus said.

Rosalba Juarez said she doesn’t know much about the investigation.

“What I know is what you know,” she said.

Schanus also said her brother had taken out a $1 million insurance policy.

“He went from working for a company to being a businessman,” Schanus said. “In his personal life, he had struggles. But he was a good provider. He took out a $1 million insurance policy because he was concerned about his health. He wanted to make sure his family would be OK.

“I know the police are working very hard. I wish everything could be faster, but I know they’re doing the best they can.”

Views: 98

A man arrested in connection with a St. Paul homicide was released from jail Friday without being charged and is a suspect in other homicides, according to court records.

Bartholomew Holloman, 24, remained under investigation in the shooting death of Eric Woulard.  Early in the investigation, police received several tips from citizens and informants saying Holloman was the person who killed Woulard, according to an affidavit for a search warrant filed in Ramsey County District Court.

According to the affidavit:

Holloman is well-known to the St. Paul police, with a lengthy criminal history and associations to gangs and numerous crimes of violence.

Holloman aka“Munch,” and Woulard were friends. Both men are “suspected of being involved in several unsolved shootings and murders.

In a search of Holloman’s cell-phone records, police found Holloman had called a phone number about an hour before the shooting.

When police pulled Holloman, he told two women in the car he was being stopped because he had murdered someone.  Officers arrested Holloman on suspicion of homicide.

Woulard’s mother said she was angry Holloman had been released.

If you have any information on the Eric Woulard murder, please contact crime stoppers at  1-800-222-tips

As you can see Holloman is known to law enforcement!  [note last one on file he uses the name Bartholomew Ben isreal]

Views: 55

Jerry Weston was arrested after his DNA found on a napkin when he was at a hockey game. He used a napkin then threw it away, and they got enough DNA off of the napkin.  Investigators used a genealogy website to match the DNA.

Westrom was taken into custody and a more complete DNA sample was taken. That sample was matched with a number of samples taken from Childs’ apartment, including DNA left on a washcloth, a sperm cell left on a comforter, and others. Prosecutors say more than 99 percent of the population can be excluded as being suspects in Childs’ death.

Weston claims he doesn’t know Childs but his supposed DNA was in her apartment after the murder.  It has been said that Weston was in the Minneapolis area in the 1990’s as he had been arrested in connection to other pro-stitutes.

I’ll update this story as soon as more info is released!

Views: 144