ELLSWORTH - A teenager who recently came forward to confess to a string of burglaries in Ellsworth might receive a break.
Blake L. Koffron, 16, made his initial appearance Wednesday in Nobles County District Court on two burglary-related charges that were filed last month after he led law enforcement to multiple firearms and electronic tobacco products he said he obtained by burglarizing an Ellsworth residence. Because Koffron is at least 16 and has been charged with felonies, his juvenile case is publicly available.
By Friday, he had already signed a petition to plead guilty to one of the burglary charges in exchange for the other being dropped. While he has not appeared for a plea hearing, the petition calls for him to be placed on supervised probation until his 18th birthday, complete 30 hours of community service, pay restitution, not return to the victim’s residence, not own guns and attend school with no unexcused absences or tardies. His plea hearing and sentencing had not yet been scheduled.
According to the criminal complaint, after Koffron came forward, law enforcement was given permission to search his residence. During the search, two guns, a knife, a vapor smoker and liquid vapor were allegedly discovered.
One of the guns, the complaint continues, had a shell in its chamber and another in the tube. Koffron said he obtained the items from a residence he had burglarized before in pursuit of marijuana. He was allegedly caught by the owners the first time. The victims said they tried to get Koffron to empty his pockets, but he refused.
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According to the complaint, those burglaries were two of a total five in the Ellsworth area he confessed to committing within the last eight months.
Charges won’t likely be filed in those burglaries “due to his cooperation in the reporting and investigation of this matter,” the complaint states.
No mugshot is available.
