LUVERNE — A Luverne resident is facing criminal charges after someone told law enforcement that he used their credit card and entered their home without permission.
A victim told police that there were $800 of fraudulent charges and $1,000 in denied charges on their credit card. The credit card in question had been inside a desk drawer and not yet activated.
Dakota Aanenson, 26, was suspected of stealing the credit card, activating it and using it, because he had recently stayed with the victim for a couple of days. The victim was in the process of selling their home, and the realtor had reportedly caught Aanenson inside the home when he wasn't supposed to be, so the victim believed Aanenson had made a copy of the house key.
The credit card had recently been used at a bar in Hardwick, and a witness signed a written statement indicating that to be the case. Based on victim and witness testimony, police secured a warrant to search Aanenson's wallet, which was in police custody because Aanenson was in jail on an unrelated matter.
The credit card, with the victim's name on it, was located inside Aanenson's wallet.
ADVERTISEMENT
Later, the victim reached out to law enforcement again and said they had found evidence that Aanenson had entered the home through a basement window and he left a duffel bag there that contained items identifying him. It also appeared that Aanenson had slept and showered at the residence.
The victim provided a list of items missing from the house, which were valued at $3,050. One of the items was the victim's bicycle, which police found at a home where Aanenson had been known to be staying.
Aaneneson was charged with felony second-degree burglary, financial transaction card fraud and theft; and misdemeanor trespassing. The most serious charge, burglary, carries a maximum possible sentence of 10 years in prison and/or a $20,000 fine. If convicted, Aanenson will be sentenced based on criminal history.
He is scheduled for a first court appearance Monday morning.
