×

Predator facing 5 felony charges

FAIRMONT — A Winnebago man is facing multiple felony charges in Martin County.

Tony Allen Driehorst, 36, has been charged with four counts of being a predatory offender and knowingly violating registration requirements and one count of failing to mail a verification form. Each charge carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $10,000 fine.

According to the complaint:

On July 26, a Fairmont police officer received information that Driehorst was staying at a residence in the 500 block of East Second Street in Fairmont and that he was around children. The officer determined that Driehorst is required to register under the Minnesota Predatory Offender Act.

A check of documentation provided by Driehorst to the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension showed that Driehorst’s current primary address is registered in the 800 block of North Elm Street. According to BCA records, there have been no modifications of the primary address and there are no secondary addresses for Driehorst.

The officer went to a residence on East Second Street and spoke to a female who indicated Driehorst was not living at her residence, but a male relative of Driehorst’s was living there. Later in the conversation, she said she was in a relationship with Driehorst but he was never around her children. She said Driehorst was living with a relative of his at the Elm Street residence.

On July 27, the officer went to the Elm Street residence. The officer spoke to a man who indicated that Driehorst had not lived at the residence for about two months. He said Driehorst had been living at the residence on Second Street.

The officer then spoke to Driehorst’s probation agent, who indicated the last time he met with Driehorst he indicated he was still living on North Elm Street.

The officer returned to the Second Street residence and asked the woman how long Driehorst had been living there. The woman became nervous and denied that Driehorst had been living there, giving the officer permission to look around the house. The officer observed several articles of men’s clothing in the woman’s bedroom, while the woman continued to deny that Driehorst lived at the residence.

The officer later received information from a child protection worker from Human Services who provided information claiming that Driehorst lives at the Second Street residence, while Driehorst’s brother lives at the Elm Street residence.

On Aug. 1, the officer met with Driehorst at the residence of Driehorst’s employer. When asked where he was living, Driehorst replied he was living in the same place he always has. He told the officer he was living at an address in Winnebago as well as the residence on North Elm Street. When advised that the officer had been to both residences in Fairmont, Driehorst replied he had been over in Winnebago.

When asked about where he lived in Winnebago, Driehorst said he thought it was in the 100 block of Second Street. When asked if he had updated his predatory offender registration to include his secondary address, he said he had.

Later, the officer spoke to an individual who said Driehorst had been living with her in the 200 block of First Avenue in Winnebago. She said prior to that he was going back and forth to a relative’s house on North Elm in Fairmont.

On Aug. 13, the officer spoke with Driehorst’s probation agent, who showed him the forms Driehorst had filled out. None of the forms contained an address for Winnebago.

On Aug. 14, Driehorst turned himself in to the police.

The next day, the officer determined that Driehorst was also out of compliance with his registration requirements because he failed to submit his verification paperwork on time.

A check of Driehorst’s record shows that Driehorst has a prior conviction for predatory offender registration violation in 2016.

Newsletter

Today's breaking news and more in your inbox

I'm interested in (please check all that apply)
Are you a paying subscriber to the newspaper? *
   

Starting at $4.65/week.

Subscribe Today