doj Archives - KVRR Local News

Tokio, North Dakota man gets 33 years for neglect and death of child in 2022 on Spirit Lake Reservation

August 5, 2025

TJ Nelson,

FARGO, N.D. (KVRR) — A Tokio, North Dakota man is sentenced to 33 years in prison for the 2022 death of a child on Spirit Lake Reservation. Twenty-nine year old Austin Lester previously pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter, two counts of child neglect in Indian country and assault of a child with a dangerous weapon. Co-defendant Krissy Hinsley was also…

White Earth Man Gets Nearly 25 Years for Making Child Porn With 13-Year-Old Victim

August 20, 2024

KVRR Staff,

MINNEAPOLIS (KVRR) — A White Earth, Minnesota Man is sentenced to nearly 25 Years in prison for child porn. According to court documents, 34-year-old Ryan Thompson, also known as “Ryan Townsend”, took pornographic images with a minor in December 2020. The 13-year-old victim used her school-issued laptop to message the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. She told them Thompson began sleeping…

Guilty Verdict for Red Lake Woman Accused of Child Neglect and Endangerment

April 15, 2024

TJ Nelson,

MINNEAPOLIS (KVRR) — A federal jury has found Bobbi Jo Johnson, also known as Bobbi Jo Kingbird, guilty of child neglect and child endangerment on the Red Lake Indian Reservation. The 46-year-old Red Lake woman was convicted of crimes that happened between January 2021 and April 2022. The victim was a child in the foster care of her sister and…

Fourth Week of DAPL Trial Ends With Testimony From DOJ Witness

March 10, 2024

TJ Nelson,

BISMARCK, N.D. (KVRR) — A Department of justice witness testifies that during the eight-month long DAPL protests, the DOJ believed sending federal law enforcement to assist North Dakota would escalate and destabilize the situation. Patrick Hornbuckle’s comments were made in a video deposition in the fourth week of the trial of North Dakota vs. United States. The state is trying…

DOJ finds Minneapolis police show pattern of violating rights

June 16, 2023

KVRR Staff,

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The Justice Department accused Minneapolis police Friday of engaging in a pattern of violating constitutional rights and discriminating against Black and Native American people following an investigation prompted by the killing of George Floyd. The sweeping two-year civil rights investigation concluded that systemic problems in the Minneapolis Police Department “made what happened to George Floyd possible.” The…

Trump charged over classified documents in 1st federal indictment of an ex-president

June 8, 2023

KVRR Staff,

MIAMI (AP) — Donald Trump said Thursday that he has been indicted on charges of mishandling classified documents at his Florida estate, igniting a federal prosecution that is arguably the most perilous of multiple legal threats against the former president as he seeks to reclaim the White House. The Justice Department did not immediately publicly confirm the indictment. But two people familiar…

ND settles with Justice Dept. over ADA complaint

The state was completely willing to comply with the investigation into the complaint

December 14, 2020

,

FARGO, N.D. (KVRR) – The Justice Department has reached a settlement over a lawsuit claiming North Dakota unnecessarily places people with disabilities in long-term care facilities. The agreement expands services to people with physical disabilities who live in, or at risk of, entering a nursing facility to give them the option to live at home. The state will provide more…

Department of Justice Going After Sexual Harassment Cases In Housing

The department has seen increasing cases of sexual harassment in housing across the nation.

May 26, 2020

,

FARGO, N.D. – The Department of Justice is going after those in housing who sexually harass people during the pandemic. United States Attorney Drew Wrigley is asking anyone who has experienced sexual harassment from a landlord or anybody with control over housing to come forward. The department has seen increasing cases of sexual harassment in housing across the nation. The…