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Truman woman, Mankato man charged with felonies

FAIRMONT — A Truman woman and Mankato man face multiple felony charges in Martin County.

Amber Lynn Sathoff, 36, and Jason Lee Martin, 32, are each charged with identity theft, and aiding and abetting identity theft. Each charge carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $100,000 fine.

The pair also both face charges of receiving stolen property; aiding and abetting receiving stolen property; possession or sale of a stolen or counterfeit check; and aiding and abetting in the possession or sale of a stolen or counterfeit check. Each charge carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $20,000 fine.

In addition, Martin faces one count each of financial transaction card fraud, and aiding and abetting financial transaction card fraud. Each charge carries a maximum penalty of three years in prison and a $5,000 fine.

According to the complaint:

On Aug. 24, 2019, a Truman police officer received information that Sathoff and Martin had been identified as suspects in a burglary at a business in Emmetsburg, Iowa. The officer was aware the pair were living at a residence in Truman, and obtained a search warrant. On Aug. 25, 2019, the officer executed the search warrant. The pair were at the residence when it was searched.

During the search, officers discovered a number of items stolen in Iowa, a set of metal lockpick keys, and numerous burglary tools in a vehicle at the residence. The vehicle had been seen on surveillance video leaving a casino in Emmetsburg before the Iowa burglary.

Ultimately, Sathoff and Martin were charged in Minnesota with possession of stolen property for the items stolen in Iowa, and also faced charges in the state of Iowa for those items.

During the course of the search, the officer observed a considerable amount of other suspicious property, including numerous car stereos, electronic equipment, jewelry, coins and power tools.

Discovered in the vehicle were a set of license plates belonging to a vehicle in Red Wing. Red Wing police later confirmed the plates were stolen from a vehicle on Aug. 23, 2019. An individual from that location had reported a purse stolen from her vehicle. Officers advised that the purse was later recovered in the trash can of a Red Wing convenience store. The purse contained an empty prescription bottle with Martin’s name on it.

Officers looked into pawn store records and discovered that between April 2019 and August 2019, Sathoff had pawned 14 items, including stereo equipment, power tools, handheld automotive diagnostic scanners and jewelry. During the same time period, Martin had pawned 14 items of the same type pawned by Sathoff.

An additional search warrant was obtained for Sathoff and Martin’s residence and vehicles. On Aug. 28, 2019, the officer executed the search warrant and located items confirmed to be stolen from other locations in Minnesota.

Items included electronics, tools, CDs, rare coins, jewelry, a camera, Minnesota driver’s licenses, Social Security cards, a credit card, a birth certificate and a books of checks.

The officer contacted the Yellow Medicine County Sheriff’s Department and spoke with an investigator, who advised they were investigating burglaries occurring on or about Aug. 21, 2019. The investigator said video surveillance at another pawn shop had revealed Sathoff and Martin in the store with stolen items.

On March 20, the investigator interviewed Sathoff, who admitted she was involved in two burglaries in Yellow Medicine County, along with Martin.

The Fairmont officer also spoke with a deputy in Redwood County who positively identified a number of items found in Sathoff and Martin’s residence.

The value of the stolen property discovered at the Sathoff/Martin residence and in the vehicle exceeded $5,000.

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