Felon charged for alleged stolen vehicle; identified as driver by witness
Published 9:05 am Saturday, August 4, 2018
Jade Allen Okland, 24, of Blue Earth was charged on Friday in Mower County District Court with felony theft-take/use/transfer movable property-no consent and felony violent felon in possession of firearm ammunition.
According to the court complaint, Okland was arrested on Thursday after an officer ran a record check on a vehicle parked in the Austin Walmart parking lot. The vehicle came back as stolen from Albert Lea. Albert Lea police advised that Okland was a potential suspect because he was allegedly supposed to be doing work on it when it was reported stolen.
Jade Allen Okland, 24
Officers made contact with a witness, who described the driver as a Hispanic male, tall, hat on sideways, heavier set and wearing a t-shirt, the complaint states. The witness also described the female passengers. When officers made contact with Okland in the store, the witness allegedly said he was the driver.
The passengers said Okland had picked them up and that he indicated the car was his, the complaint states. Another individual arrived on the scene and said he had left some personal property in the vehicle, allegedly saying Okland had dropped him off to run an errand. He allegedly said Okland had the car for over a week and said he had purchased it.
Okland claimed one of the alleged passengers had picked him up and that it was her car, the complaint states.
Police contacted the vehicle’s owner, who said that the only property he had in the car when it was stolen was garbage. Police allegedly found two glass pipes with marijuana residue and a box of .357 magnum ammunition inside the vehicle. Because of prior felony drug convictions, Okland is ineligible to be in possession of firearms or firearm ammunition.
A review of Okland’s criminal history shows prior convictions for drug possession in Faribault, Martin and Mower Counties, burglary and receiving stolen property. He is currently awaiting sentencing after pleading guilty to another charge of felony violent felon in possession of firearm ammunition on March 15 in Mower County District Court.
Okland will appear in court again on Aug. 16.
