The Chaska Police Department is organizing a safety camp from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Wednesday, July 21 at the Chaska Fire Department and Thursday, July 22 at Firemen’s Park. The camp is for youth entering third and fourth grade in fall 2010.

Johnny Maes, 24, of St. Bonifacious, was ordered to prison for 12 years for violating several terms of his probation, according to a press release from the Carver County Attorney’s Office.

Maes was charged with first-degree criminal sexual conduct for sexually assaulting a juvenile female in Chaska in 2004. Maes pleaded guilty to felony first-degree criminal sexual conduct in August 2004.

According to an alert from the Chaska Police Department, a west-metro police department north of Chaska advised of three suspicious solicitors, all white males from 18 to 33 years old, who were claiming to work for Xtreme Marketing. When questioned by a resident, they fled in a silver van and were later stopped by police. There were also residential burglaries in the area, but it is unknown if the solicitors were responsible.

Chaska police are looking for persons responsible for a fire at the City Square Park gazebo over the weekend.

"They assaulted the heart of Chaska," said Chaska Police Chief Scott Knight in an phone interview.

Kevin Lee Vraa, 43, of Victoria, received a 12-year sentence for sexually assaulting an 11-year old child, according to a press release from Carver County Attorney Jim Keeler.

Vraa was charged with one count of first-degree criminal sexual conduct and one count of second-degree criminal sexual conduct for the sexual assault that occurred in April 2008 in Victoria, the release stated.

By Jorge Sosa

The McLeod County Sheriff’s Emergency Response Unit and the Lester Prairie Police Department assisted Chaska police in a recent apartment raid and arrest.

According to a statement from Chaska Police Chief Scott Knight, his department’s detectives were investigating a reported burglary in which six handguns were stolen. They suspected 20-year-old Lester Prairie resident Matthew Garrett Shupe-Botner was involved and had the stolen handguns, and believed he was possibly armed.

By Chuck Friedbauer

The District 112 school board, on May 13, approved a new school resource officer (SRO) agreement with the city of Chaska, reducing the number of officers in Chaska schools from three to two.

Sheriff: ‘We are shocked and angered’ by betrayal

By Richard Crawford

Criminal charges against an 18-year member of the Carver County Sheriff’s Office this week prompted emotions ranging from outrage to sadness, said Sheriff Bud Olson.

“This is a story of one person, with a high level of authorization and access who discreetly fed a drug habit,” Olson said at a press conference Tuesday.

Drivers, passengers and kids better be buckled up or in the correct child restraint as Carver County Sheriff’s Deputies and Chaska Police Officers ramp up enhanced Click It or Ticket seat belt patrols May 24–June 6, according to a release from the Carver County Sheriff's Office.