OFFICE OF THE WASHINGTON COUNTY ATTORNEY

PETER J. ORPUT COUNTY A TTORNEY

Press Release
Contact: Pete Orput FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Phone: 651-430-6115 DATE: April 24, 2017

Scandia Man Charged with Kidnapping of a Stranger

Chief Deputy Dan Starry of the Washington County Sheriffs Office and County Attorney Pete Orput today
announced the apprehension and filing of Kidnapping charges against Michael Grant Harker, 34, of Scandia in
the April 20th attempted abduction of a woman in Willernie.

On April 20th, at approximately 8:30 pm, the Washington County Sheriffs Office received a 911 call of a
possible attempted abduction near 111 Wildwood Rd. in Willernie. Upon arriving, it was determined that an
adult female was in the area standing near her vehicle when a man in a van drove by her slowly several times.
After doing this, the man parked his vehicle across the street of the victim and proceeded to walk across the
street towards her. Upon reaching her, the man grabbed the victim by the hair and dragged her across the street
towards the van. The victim then said the man punched her in the head and attempted to push her into the van
after opening the side door. A witness in the area heard the victim screaming and drove her vehicle to the area.
The victim was able to get away from the man and ran towards the witnesss vehicle. At this time, the man got
into the van and fled the area. The victim was transported to a local hospital for her injuries. This incident was
captured by a local business security camera which corroborated the victim and witness statements.

The victim was able to identify three numbers on the Minnesota license plate along with a business name on the
side of the truck. Washington County Sheriffs Office detectives worked with the Minnesota Bureau of
Criminal Apprehension to use the plate information and characteristics of the van in the video to narrow the
search through State databases. After receiving the list, the search narrowed to an individual later identified as
Michael Grant Harker DOB: 12/28/1982, who was residing in Scandia, MN.

The Washington County Sheriffs Office apprehended the suspect at the Scandia residence at approximately
1:00 am on April 22nd, and located the suspected van. The suspect was transported to the Washington County
Jail. Michael Harker has been out on parole since late 2016 from an Idaho conviction which was transferred to
a probation agent with Washington County Community Corrections. There is no known connection between
the victim and Michael Harker.

This case was a collaboration between the Washington County Sheriffs Office, Washington County
Community Services, Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, and the Washington County Attorneys
Office.
Starry stated, We are pleased that the victim was recovered on site and that no further harm came to her.
Stranger abductions are among the most difficult cases to investigate, as we all know.

Orput stated, This is a wonderful example of different law enforcement agencies coming together to swiftly
apprehend a dangerous man.

####

(criminalcomplaintfollows)

StateofMinnesota DistrictCourt
CountyofWashington 10thJudicialDistrict
ProsecutorFileNo. CR-2017-670
CourtFileNo. 82-CR-17-1687

StateofMinnesota, COMPLAINT
Plaintiff, OrderofDetention
vs.
MICHAELGRANTHARKERDOB:12/28/1982
18685LaytonAvenueN
Scandia,MN55073
Defendant.

The Complainant submits this complaint to the Court and states that there is probable cause to believe
Defendantcommittedthefollowingoffense(s):
COUNTI
Charge:Kidnapping-ToCommitGreatBodilyHarm/Terrorize
MinnesotaStatute:609.25.1(3),withreferenceto:609.25.2(2)
MaximumSentence:40yearsand$50,000
OffenseLevel:Felony
OffenseDate(onorabout):04/20/2017
Control#(ICR#):17012779
Charge Description: to commit great bodily harm or to terrorize the victim or another, confine or remove
from one place to another, any person, to wit: N.M.W. without the person's consent or if said person is
under the age of 16 years, without the consent of said person's parents or other legal custodian and said
personitnotreleasedinasafeplace,suffersgreatbodilyharmorisundertheageof16
COUNTII
Charge:Kidnapping-ToFacilitateFelonyorFlight
MinnesotaStatute:609.25.1(2),withreferenceto:609.25.2(2)
MaximumSentence:40yearsand$50,000
OffenseLevel:Felony
OffenseDate(onorabout):04/20/2017
Control#(ICR#):17012779
Charge Description: to facilitate commission of any felony or flight thereafter, confine or remove from one
place to another, any person, to wit: N.M.W. without the person's consent or if said person is under the
age of 16 years, without the consent of said person's parents or other legal custodian and said person it
notreleasedinasafeplace,suffersgreatbodilyharmorisundertheageof16
COUNTIII

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Charge:FalseImprisonment-IntentionalRestraint
MinnesotaStatute:609.255.2,withreferenceto:609.255.2
MaximumSentence:3yearsand$5,000
OffenseLevel:Felony
OffenseDate(onorabout):04/20/2017
Control#(ICR#):17012779
Charge Description: knowingly lacking lawful authority to do so, intentionally confine or restrain any other
person,towit:N.M.W.withoutsaidperson'sconsent

2
 STATEMENTOFPROBABLECAUSE

TheComplainantstatesthatthefollowingfactsestablishprobablecause:

YourcomplainantisalicensedpeaceofficeremployedbytheWashingtonCountySheriff'sOffice.Based
onthereportsrelativetoanincidentthatoccurredonApril20,2017,involvingMichaelGrantHarker,DOB
12/28/1982,complainantoffersthefollowingstatementtoestablishprobablecause:

OnApril20,2017,atabout8:27p.m.,deputiesweredispatchedtotheareaof111WildwoodRoad,in
Willernie,WashingtonCounty,Minnesota,onareportofapossibleabductionattempt.Thecomplaint
reportedthatshehadheardawomanscreamingsayingamalewastryingtodragherintoavanbeforethe
vandroveoff.Deputiesarrivedandlocatedthecomplainant,C.S.V.,andthevictim,N.M.W.Thevictim's
husbandhadalsoarrivedatthelocationandwaswithN.M.W.,whowasvisiblyupsetandcryingcurledup
onthepassengerseat.N.M.W.reportedthatshehadparkedhercarneartheDominoesPizzainWillernie
onthewestsideofWildwoodRoadandshewasoutsidehervehicleonthesidewalksmokingacigarette.
Shestatedthatawhitevandrovepastherveryslowlyandthedriverwaslookingather.Shestatedshe
thoughtthatthemaledriverwasupsetwithherfortakingupaparkingspotinordertosmoke.Shestated
thatthevandroveawayandcamebackashorttimelaterandparkedacrossthestreet.Shestatedthe
maleapproachedherandsheaskedhimwhathisdealwas.Shestatedthatthemaledidnotsayanything
butcameuptoherandgrabbedherbythebackoftheneck,shirtandhair,pushedherheaddownand
forcedhertocrossthestreetandovertohisvan.Shestatedthathewaspullingherhairandsqueezingher
neckareawhileforcingherinthedirectionofhisvan.Shstatedthatithappenedsofastshedidnothave
timetoreact.Shestatedthemaleopenedthedoorofthevanandattemptedtoforceherinsidethevan.
Shehadhercellphoneinherhandandthemaletriedtograbherphoneandsaid,"Wearen'tgoingtodo
this"andtriedtoripthecellphoneoutofherhandbutshewouldn'tletgoofit.Shestatedthatshestarted
screamingasloudasshecouldthatthemalewastryingtoabductherandthemalepunchedherinthe
sideofherhead.N.M.W.statedthatshewasstrugglingwithhimandshewasabletogetawayandrun
backacrossthestreetwhilescreamingforhelp.

C.S.V.reportedthatsheheardN.M.W.screamingsoshedroveovertoseewhatwasgoingon.Shestated
shesawthemaletryingtotakeN.M.W.againstherwillandforceherintohisvanandthatshesawN.M.W.
runawayfromthevanscreamingthatthemalewastryingtoabducther.Shestatedshepulledupandtried
toblockthevanbutthemalegotbackinandmaneuveredaroundheranddroveoff.Shestatedthatshe
triedtofollowthevanbutitdroveofffastnorthonMahtomediRoadandgotaway.

BothN.M.W.anC.S.V.reportedthatthevehiclewasanolderwhiteFordEconolinevanwithblacklettering
onthedriver'ssidedoor.Theboththoughttheletteringspelled"Harper".N.M.W.statedthatitappearedto
beamagnetandnotadecalorpaintedon.Bothalsoreportedthatthefirstthreenumbersonthe
Minnesotalicenseplatewere624.Themalewasdescribedasawhitemaleinhisthirtieswithscruffyfacial
hair,lightbrownhairandglasses.

Oneofthenearbybusinesseshadexteriorsurveillancevideothatcapturedmostoftheincident.Thevideo
showedN.M.W.parkinghercar,andawhitevandrivingby.Thevanthencamebackandparkedacross
thestreet.Amalewasobservedcrossingthestreet,pickingupthepaceashegotclosertoN.M.W.The
malegrabbedN.M.W.anddraggedheracrossthestreettothevan.Themalewasobservedforcing
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N.M.W.towardthepassengersideofthevanandastruggleoccurs.Theygooutofcamerarangeandthen
N.M.W.wasobservedrunninginthemiddleofthestreet.Alargetruckarrivedandtriedtoblockthevan,
whichmaneuversaroundthetruckandspedoff.ThedescriptionofthemalegivenbyN.M.W.andC.S.V.is
consistentwiththemaleobservedonthevideo.

ThevehiclewasidentifiedasawhiteFordEconolinevanbearingMinnesotalicenseplate624DAK.The
vehiclewasrecentlypurchasedbyanindividualidentifiedasMICHAELGRANTHARKER,DOB
12/28/1982,thedefendantherein.Accordingtothebillofsaleprovidedtolawenforcementdefendanthad
purchasedthevanonApril17,2017.Aphotocopyofdefendant'sIdahodriver'slicensewasincludedwith
thepaperwork.DefendantmatchedthedescriptionprovidedbyN.M.W.andC.S.V.Defendantowneda
businesscalled"HarkerProperties".Thevanwaslocatedparkedoutsidedefendant'sresidence.A
magnetwiththename"Harker"onitwasonthedriver'ssidedoorofthevan.Defendantisonparoleoutof
theStateofIdahoforfelonystrangulationandfelonydomesticassault(initialchargesincludedfelonysexual
assaultbyforciblepenetrationandkidnapping).Hissupervisingprobationofficeridentifiedthevan(and
themagnetonitforhisbusiness)asbelongingtodefendant.

N.M.W.wasshownaphotoline-upthatincludedaphotoofthedefendant.N.M.W.identifieddefendantas
themalewhograbbedherandtriedtoforceherintohisvan.

4
 SIGNATURESANDAPPROVALS

ComplainantrequeststhatDefendant,subjecttobailorconditionsofrelease,be:
(1)arrestedorthatotherlawfulstepsbetakentoobtainDefendant'sappearanceincourtor
(2)detained,ifalreadyincustody,pendingfurtherproceedingsandthatsaidDefendantotherwise
bedealtwithaccordingtolaw.
Complainantdeclaresunderpenaltyofperjurythateverythingstatedinthisdocumentistrueand
correct.Minn.Stat.358.116Minn.R.Crim.P.2.01,subds.1,2.

Complainant NicholasLoperfido ElectronicallySigned:

DeputySheriff 04/24/201703:52PM
1501562ndStreetN WashingtonCounty,Minnesota
POBox3801
Stillwater,MN55082-3801
Badge:134

Beingauthorizedtoprosecutetheoffensescharged,Iapprovethiscomplaint.

ProsecutingAttorney KarinMcCarthy ElectronicallySigned:

AssistantCountyAttorney 04/24/201703:44PM
POBox6
1501562ndStreetNorth
Stillwater,MN55082
(651)430-6115

5
 FINDINGOFPROBABLECAUSE
From the above sworn facts, and any supporting affidavits or supplemental sworn testimony, I, the Issuing Officer, have
determined that probable cause exists to support, subject to bail or conditions of release where applicable, Defendants arrest
or other lawful steps be taken to obtain Defendants appearance in court, or Defendants detention, if already in custody,
pendingfurtherproceedings.Defendantisthereforechargedwiththeabove-statedoffense(s).

SUMMONS
THEREFOREYOU,THEDEFENDANT,ARESUMMONEDtoappearon___________,_____at_____AM/PM
beforetheabove-namedcourtat1494962ndStreetNPOBox3802,Stillwater,MN55082-3802toanswerthis
complaint.

IFYOUFAILTOAPPEARinresponsetothisSUMMONS,aWARRANTFORYOURARRESTshallbeissued.

WARRANT
To the Sheriff of the above-named county or other person authorized to execute this warrant: I order, in the name of the State
of Minnesota, that the Defendant be apprehended and arrested without delay and brought promptly before the court (if in
session), and if not, before a Judge or Judicial Officer of such court without unnecessary delay, and in any event not later than
36hoursafterthearrestorassoonassuchJudgeorJudicialOfficerisavailabletobedealtwithaccordingtolaw.

ExecuteinMNOnly ExecuteNationwide ExecuteinBorderStates

X ORDEROFDETENTION
Since the Defendant is already in custody, I order, subject to bail or conditions of release, that the Defendant continue to be
detainedpendingfurtherproceedings.

Bail:$
ConditionsofRelease:

Thiscomplaint,dulysubscribedandsworntoorsignedunderpenaltyofperjury,isissuedbytheundersignedJudicialOfficer
asofthefollowingdate:April24,2017.

JudicialOfficer GarySchurrer ElectronicallySigned:04/24/201704:20PM

judge

SworntestimonyhasbeengivenbeforetheJudicialOfficerbythefollowingwitnesses:

COUNTYOFWASHINGTON
STATEOFMINNESOTA

StateofMinnesota
Plaintiff LAWENFORCEMENTOFFICERRETURNOFSERVICE
IherebyCertifyandReturnthatIhaveservedacopyofthisOrderof
vs. DetentionupontheDefendanthereinnamed.
SignatureofAuthorizedServiceAgent:
MichaelGrantHarker
Defendant