Cass Lake shooting leads to prison term

WALKER - The man accused of being involved in a shooting incident at Cass Lake Aug. 30 was sentenced April 20 in Cass County District Court to 60 months in prison for being a felon who illegally possessed a handgun after being convicted of a felony violent crime within the last 10 years.

Judge John P. Smith gave Clarence James Dickens, 50, Minneapolis, credit for jail time already served. The judge dismissed felony first- and second-degree assault charges.

The court complaint filed against Dickens states he has multiple prior convictions for crimes of violence. As a convicted felon, he is ineligible to possess a firearm.

According to the complaint, Dickens was one of four people who arrived in a vehicle at the town homes about 3 a.m. in Cass Lake to visit a relative. An altercation then ensued between the occupants of the vehicle and a group of individuals who were present in the parking lot.

Michael Jones, 25, of Cass Lake, and Thomas Jones, 26, of Rosemount, suffered gunshot wounds, according to Cass County Sheriff's Department. The victims were brothers, who told officers they were walking past the area and not involved in the altercation.

The court complaint states Michael Jones was treated for gunshot wounds to his hand and leg at Cass Lake Public Health Services Hospital. Thomas Jones was airlifted to a Duluth hospital for treatment of a gunshot wound to his groin area.

The suspect vehicle reportedly headed south from Cass Lake following the incident.

Officers located the vehicle reportedly involved in the shooting at Pine River and pursued the vehicle on Highway 371 to the city of Pequot Lakes, where the vehicle was stopped. Dickens was one of four occupants in the vehicle. H e was detained and taken to Cass County Detention Center.

At some point between Cass Lake and Walker after those in the fleeing vehicle saw multiple squad cars heading north, witnesses told officers Dickens placed a handgun in a ditch by a road sign along the highway. Officers later recovered a 9 mm handgun from that ditch.

Cass court

WALKER - The following appeared recently in Cass County District Court:

Tyler James Campion, 21, Cokato, was ordered to serve 45 days, with credit for eight days already served, for violating probation he is serving for felony second-degree burglary.

Christian Thomas Serba, 38, address unknown, was ordered to serve 90 days jail, then furlough to sex offender treatment for violating probation he is serving for felony second-degree criminal sexual conduct.