ROCK COUNTY — Jermain Schroeder, of Round Lake, has been charged with two felony-level counts of burglary. Schroeder, 38, also faces a charge for interfering with a 911 call, which is a gross misdemeanor.
The Rock County Sheriff's Office was alerted to an active break-in on Nov. 19, in the 400 block of W. Main Street, Luverne. Upon arrival, officers were told someone was in the building and located an open door that led upstairs to multiple apartments. At this time, dispatch informed officers that they were speaking with an individual and could hear an active struggle taking place.
Deputies made contact with a victim who was not the 9-1-1 caller and was unsure as to what was going on. More police personnel arrived and continued to search the building. At the front of the building, they met a victim who stated there was a man, Schroeder, on the lower level in her room.
According to the report, Schroeder had “busted” into the victim’s room, yelling about calling the cops and throwing things. The victim got on the line with Rock County 911, but Schroeder allegedly took her phone and threw it.
The victim led officers to the area where Schroeder was last seen, and officers located him in a third room. Schroeder was ordered to show his hands and get down on the ground, which he complied with. Schroeder was detained by officers and brought outside, where police spoke to all involved parties.
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Schroeder reportedly told police that someone was trying to kill him, and that they had followed him from Sioux Falls to Luverne and were currently in the house. He allegedly admitted to entering the building without permission and being in the room with the victim when she called police. Officers asked Schroeder if he had been using any illegal drugs, to which Schroeder replied only marijuana before stating he had a card for it. Schroeder gave several different reports about the people who were allegedly trying to kill him and that he had been banging on the walls so that the guy who was trying to kill him would leave.
If convicted on charges of burglary of an occupied dwelling, Schroeder faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and/or a $35,000 fine with a minimum penalty of six months in prison. The second charge of committing a felony during a burglary carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison and a $10,000 fine, while the 911 interference charge has a maximum potential sentence of one year in jail and/or a $3,000 fine.
