Backus man charged with damaging 500-plus pines

BACKUS - A 51-year-old Backus man has been charged for allegedly damaging more than 500 red pine trees that were to be sold at a public timber auction north of Backus, the Cass County Sheriff's Office reported Monday.

Stephen Louis Olson was arrested Friday after authorities executed a search warrant at his residence. Olson has since been released on bail after being charged with one count of first-degree criminal damage to property of aiding and abetting others with the crime.

Cass County Chief Deputy Tom Burch said the Cass County Sheriff's Office will continue its investigation as there are "more people of interest" and additional charges may result.

Burch said if convicted, Olson could face up to five years in jail and/or a $10,000 fine.

On Nov. 15, it was discovered by the forest resource manager before the operator moved on site that someone drove 6-inch pole barn nails through more than 500 red pine trees. If the nails wouldn't have been discovered, they could have caused great bodily harm or death to the operator conducting the harvest.

At the time of the incident, Joshua Stevenson, Cass County land commissioner, said the plantation would have been managed for another 70-80 years through a series of thinning, resulting in older, larger, high quality red pine. With the damage it has sustained and the potential danger to future operators, the land will now be clear cut and replanted.