Mark Metz, a resident of Victoria and former assistant Carver County attorney, announced his candidacy for Carver County attorney.

Metz served as an assistant Carver County attorney and assistant McLeod County attorney for 11 years. While with the Carver County Attorney’s office for four years, Metz prosecuted high-profile cases such as the Chanhassen home invasion kidnapping case, the Gaylord chief of police for misconduct of a public official and a Wright County deputy for domestic assault with a gun.

Phillip Lee Graunke, 21, of Prior Lake, was sentenced to four years in prison for the Aug. 15, 2009 robbery of a convenience store in Waconia, according to a Carver County Attorney’s Office press release.

Graunke and another male, Tyler James Burton Funk, 25, were charged in the robbery of the Kwik Trip in Waconia. That morning, a Kwik Trip clerk called 911 after Graunke threatened her with a gun and demanded cash and cigarettes. There was also another customer in the store at the time of the robbery.

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.

A 46-year-old Chaska man has pleaded guilty to possessing more than 600 images of child pornography.

According to a press release from the United States Attorney B. Todd Jones, Fredric John Pishney pleaded guilty to one count of possession of child pornography before United States District Court Judge Donovan W. Frank in federal court in St. Paul on Tuesday.

Former Chaska Area Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Jacqi Hellendrung pleaded guilty to felony theft last week.

According to a press release from the Carver County Attorney Jim Keeler’s office, Hellendrung issued her plea in court on March 26.

Hellendrung was originally charged with six counts of felony theft and two counts of misdemeanor theft in October 2008 for allegedly stealing chamber funds during her six-year turn as director. Seven of the charges were eventually dismissed.

Jim Keeler will officially announce his bid to be elected as Carver County Attorney on Wednesday, March 17, according to a campaign press release.

Keeler will gather with family, friends and supporters for breakfast from 7-9 a.m. at the Chanhassen American Legion, 290 Lake Drive East.

Keeler currently holds the position of Carver County Attorney. He was appointed to be County Attorney in 2007 by a unanimous vote of the Carver County Board of Commissioners when the previous county attorney, Mike Fahey, was appointed to the bench.

Christopher Fuhrman is asking the courts to clear his record of homicide charges, almost four years after the brutal murder of Nancy Everson.

The 52-year-old wife and mother of two, was shot dead in her Chaska home on Jan. 15, 2006.

Four individuals were later charged in her death, including her son Grant and his friends Joel Beckrich, Michael Gulden and Fuhrman.

A new septic system has been installed on Lowell and Janet Carlson’s property in Camden Township, Carver County, according to a press release from Carver County Attorney Jim Keeler.

The installation and certification of the new septic system comes after a three-year legal battle with the Carlsons, which included repeated court orders and the Carlsons being found in contempt of court.

Bradley Allen Hill, 24, of Chaska, was sentenced on Nov. 10 to five years in prison for charges related to methamphetamine possession. “If you deal meth in Carver County, we will seek maximum penalties,” stated Carver County Attorney Jim Keeler, in a press release. “Hill is a significant risk to the public safety. He needed to be taken off the streets – and he was,” said Keeler.

Hill was charged in two incidents which involved the sale or possession of methamphetamine, according to a Carver County Attorney press release.