For a brief moment, Williams will be an internet star right here on Johnny Northside Dot Com. However, this isn't the first brush with bloggy stardom for the intrepid Robert Donelle Williams...
In August of 2011, a blogger on "Cartoon County, Minnesota--The Lunacy Of It All" wrote about two men facing felony drug charges in Carlton County, click here for that blog posting.
The author of the "Cartoon County" blog writes from the far right of the political spectrum. Much fury seems to be directed at the local county attorney for not being tough enough on crime. In fact, the blog started as a critique of the county attorney...a critique that included running Mickey Mouse as a write-in candidate.
Though I can't align myself with everything "Cartoon County" stands for, these blogging efforts have captured an incredible snapshot in time of Robert Donelle Williams.
Here, unedited, is the original posting from Cartoon County, once again linked here.
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I’VE ALREADY MADE MY PREDICTION OF HOW THE PLEA AGREEMENT WILL GO, GIVE IT SOME THOUGHT BASED ON WHAT YOU’VE SEEN IN THIS COUNTY AND MAKE YOURS. WHAT DO YOU THINK WILL BE THE FIRST CHARGE TO GO? IF YOU’RE AN AVID READER OF THESE PAGES, YOU ALREADY KNOW….IT'S AS PREDICTABLE AS THE SUNRISE. A HUGE KUDOS TO TROOPER RESPET AND ALL THE OTHER DEPUTIES AND COPPERS THAT AT LEAST TRY TO KEEP OUR COMMUNITY FREE OF THE LEECHES AND RODENTS. JWD.
(JNS says: apostrophe inserted into the word "it's" for proper grammar)
TWO MEN FACE FELONY DRUG
CHARGES IN CARLTON COUNTY
TWO CONVICTED FELONS FACE FOUR COUNTS EACH OF FELONY DRUG POSSESSION AFTER BEING PULLED OVER FOR SPEEDING ON INTERSTATE 35.
BY: JANA PETERSON , PINE JOURNAL
(JNS says: the original article below appeared in the Pine Journal, which is the local newspaper. However, annoyingly, the original article can't be accessed but can be "purchased." This is why dead tree media is dying faster than the trees themselves. Luckily, the "Cartoon County" blog captured the entire article and put it online for purposes of First Amendment commentary, which is also my purpose here)
Two convicted felons face four counts each of felony drug possession after being pulled over for speeding on Interstate 35.
Tristan Leroy Trice, 28, and Robert Donelle Williams, 34, are both charged with one count of felony first-degree controlled substance crime, three counts of fifth-degree controlled substance crime and two counts relating to possession of a firearm by a felon. Trice appeared Monday in Carlton County Court; Williams appeared for the first time Wednesday morning.
The charges stem from a traffic stop more than two months ago.
According to the criminal complaint, at about 11:45 p.m. June 3, Minnesota State Patrol Trooper Matt Respet pulled over a motor vehicle on Interstate 35 near Cloquet’s 14th Street overpass for traveling at 90 mph in a 70 mph speed zone. When he approached the car, Respet noticed “several indicators of potential controlled substance activity” from both the driver, Trice, of Maple Grove, Minn., and his passenger, Williams, of Columbia Heights, Minn.
Because he saw indications of drug use, Respet summoned a fellow State Patrol trooper to bring a drug-detection canine. While he waited for the dog, Respet had a Cloquet police officer transport Trice and Williams to the Black Bear Casino because both men had indicated they did not want to be held roadside by the trooper, something the complaint notes they have a right to request.
When “Skippy,” the canine partner arrived, the animal gave indicators of possible drugs on several parts of the vehicle, including the right rear wheel well, the passenger compartment, the front wheel well and the center console.
During a subsequent search, officers found more than 50 grams of packaged marijuana, 38.4 grams of crack cocaine, 19 ecstasy pills and 1.5 hydrocodone hydrochloride pills and a loaded pistol with three loaded magazines.
However, according to the complaint, when law enforcement officers from the State Patrol, Cloquet and Fond du Lac returned to the casino, the two men had fled.
A complaint was filed in the case July 13 and a warrant issued for both men that same day. According to jail records, Trice was picked up July 16 by the Carlton County Sheriff’s Office. Williams was picked up this week and made his first appearance in Carlton County Court on Wednesday morning, when the judge set his bail at $100,000.
Both Trice and Williams have several felony convictions of violence on their records and could face lengthy prison sentences if convicted of the charges.
According to the criminal complaint, Trice has at least seven criminal points on his record and just got out of prison a few months ago for several felony crimes, including felony domestic assault. Williams was released from parole status May 1 for the crimes of first-degree criminal sexual conduct and kidnapping. Both also have controlled substance crimes on their record.
On Monday, defense attorney Jeremy Downs requested that Trice’s bail be reduced because he has a daughter whom he takes care of when he’s home. Macaulay denied that request.
Trice’s next hearing is Aug. 31, while Williams is scheduled to appear in court on Monday.
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(End of "Cartoon County" blog posting which replicates "Pine Journal" article)
How this case was resolved can be found online, but just barely. The Pine Journal wrote about Tristan Leroy Trice being released while awaiting trial. Though the article can be "purchased online" (like THAT will ever happen) a snippet survives on the free and accessible part of the internet, as follows:
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Man facing six felony charges released from custody while awaiting trial
Tristan Leroy Trice, 28, of Maple Grove, Minn., was released from custody after appearing in Carlton County Court on Wednesday, despite the fact he is facing numerous felony counts related to a drug arrest earlier this summer.
Friday, October, 14, 2011 - Pine Journal - News
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In late November, incredibly, a whole raft of charges against Trice and Williams were simply DISMISSED by the Carlton County District Attorney.
Here, verbatim, is the original blog posting from the Cartoon County, linked here.
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ONLY IN CARTOON COUNTY, I TOLD YOU READERS TO PAY ATTENTION TO THIS ONE.
Posted on November 30, 2011, 11:31, by 52willys3A, under Another fraud., Bufoonery, Incompetent Public officials.
Remember the original story? Well, here you go, your tax dollars hard at work. As published in the Pine Journal.
TRICE, TRISTAN LEROY
Birth Date: 06/20/1983
6430 Lanechester Ln
Maple Grove, MN 55369
MN State Patrol – Duluth
09-CR-11-1527
1
06/03/2011 Drugs – 1st Degree- Possess 25 Grams or More – Cocaine/Heroin/Meth
(Felony) 152.021.2(a)(1) 1520212a1
Offense: Cloquet
Disposition 11/18/2011 Dismissed
2
06/03/2011 Possess Pistol/Assault Weapon-Conviction or Adjudicated Delinquent for Crime of Violence
(Felony) 624.713.1(2) 62471312
Offense: Cloquet
Disposition 11/18/2011 Dismissed
3
06/03/2011 Felon Convicted Crime of Violence – Firearm Violation
(Felony) 609.165.1b(a) 6091651ba
Offense: Cloquet
Disposition 11/18/2011 Dismissed
4
06/03/2011 Drugs – 5th Degree – Possess Schedule 1,2,3,4 – Not Small Amount Marijuana
(Felony) 152.025.2(a)(1) 1520252a1
Offense: Cloquet
Disposition 11/18/2011 Dismissed
5
06/03/2011 Drugs – 5th Degree – Possess Schedule 1,2,3,4 – Not Small Amount Marijuana
(Felony) 152.025.2(a)(1) 1520252a1
Offense: Cloquet
Disposition 11/18/2011 Dismissed
6
06/03/2011 Drugs – 5th Degree – Possess Schedule 1,2,3,4 – Not Small Amount Marijuana
(Felony) 152.025.2(a)(1) 1520252a1
Offense: Cloquet
Disposition 11/18/2011 Dismissed
WILLIAMS, ROBERT DONELLE
Birth Date: 11/11/1976
1221 43rd Ave NE
Columbia Heights, MN 55421
MN State Patrol – Duluth
09-CR-11-1526
1
06/03/2011 Drugs – 1st Degree- Possess 25 Grams or More – Cocaine/Heroin/Meth
(Felony) 152.021.2(a)(1) 1520212a1
Offense: Cloquet
Disposition 11/18/2011 Dismissed
2
06/03/2011 Possess Pistol/Assault Weapon-Conviction or Adjudicated Delinquent for Crime of Violence
(Felony) 624.713.1(2) 62471312
Offense: Cloquet
Disposition 11/18/2011 Dismissed
3
06/03/2011 Felon Convicted Crime of Violence – Firearm Violation
(Felony) 609.165.1b(a) 6091651ba
Offense: Cloquet
Disposition 11/18/2011 Dismissed
4
06/03/2011 Drugs – 5th Degree – Possess Schedule 1,2,3,4 – Not Small Amount Marijuana
(Felony) 152.025.2(a)(1) 1520252a1
Offense: Cloquet
Disposition 11/18/2011 Dismissed
5
06/03/2011 Drugs – 5th Degree – Possess Schedule 1,2,3,4 – Not Small Amount Marijuana
(Felony) 152.025.2(a)(1) 1520252a1
Offense: Cloquet
Disposition 11/18/2011 Dismissed
6
06/03/2011 Drugs – 5th Degree – Possess Schedule 1,2,3,4 – Not Small Amount Marijuana
(Felony) 152.025.2(a)(1) 1520252a1
Offense: Cloquet
Disposition 11/18/2011 Dismissed
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How, I would like to know, did all these charges get DISMISSED?
Well, however it happened, because of a spectacular lack of success by the Carlton County District Attorney, Robert Donelle Williams was allowed to run around loose. And now he's charged with Aggravated 1st Degree Robbery in Hennepin County. I don't have info on what Trice is doing at the moment but I suspect it isn't much better.
Let's hope Hennepin County has better luck convicting Robert Donelle Williams than the "Cartoon County" District Attorney.
