Foslid guilty on 4 felonies and 1 misdemeanor; 7 felonies, 6 misdemeanors dismissed

By LeAnn R. Ralph

COLFAX — Former Colfax resident Jacob Foslid has been found guilty on four felonies and one misdemeanor, while seven other felonies and six misdemeanors have been dismissed.

The 21-year-old Foslid appeared in Dunn County Circuit Court for a sentencing hearing July 10.

 As the result of a plea deal, Foslid pleaded no contest to the felonies and misdemeanor in exchange for the dismissal of the other felonies and misdemeanors.

The Honorable Rod Smeltzer accepted Foslid’s pleas of no contest and found him guilty on two felony counts of bail jumping and one felony count each of fleeing an officer and possession of methamphetamine and one misdemeanor count of battery to an unborn child.

Four other counts of felony bail jumping were dismissed, along with three felony counts of possession with intent to deliver marijuana, methamphetamine and other drugs.

Three misdemeanor counts of possessing drug paraphernalia, and one misdemeanor count each of disorderly conduct, possession of marijuana and possession of methamphetamine also were dismissed.

Foslid is being held at the Dunn County jail on a cash bond of $5,000, and technically, two felony counts of bail jumping and possession of drugs with intent to deliver and one misdemeanor count of possessing drug paraphernalia will be dismissed at a sentencing hearing scheduled for September 20.

Part of the plea deal involved Foslid remaining in custody on the cash bail that was set in the case that will be dismissed at sentencing.

Over the past year, Foslid has failed to appear for a number of scheduled court hearings.

The West Central Drug Task Force, the Dunn County Sheriff’s Department and the Colfax Police Department executed a search warrant in June of 2012 at Foslid’s apartment above the Colfax Health Mart after drugs and drug paraphernalia were found during a traffic stop the night before when deputies discovered a safe in the car containing illegal drugs and slips of paper with names, telephone numbers and dollar amounts.

According to the criminal complaint, a sheriff’s deputy stopped Foslid again at 2:30 a.m. October 30 on county Highway M in the Town of Colfax for traveling at 65 mph in a 55 mph zone.

During the October traffic stop, deputies found a black nylon brief case behind the driver’s seat that contained an unlocked lock box containing a small metal pipe that smelled like burned marijuana, along with a collection of small baggies.

Additional small baggies were found in the vehicle that a contained a small amount of a crystal-like substance. A scale, cell phone and a list of telephone numbers were found as well.

Foslid was charged with battery to an unborn child, domestic battery, felony bail jumping and disorderly conduct following an incident that occurred March 1.

According to the criminal complaint, Samantha Osterberg, 18, reported that she had been assaulted by Jacob Foslid at their residence on County Highway N in the Town of Colfax.

Osterberg told investigators that she was nine weeks pregnant with Foslid’s child and that when she attempted to talk to him about sobering up and giving up “the dope,” they began arguing.

In addition, the Colfax Police Department was involved in a vehicle pursuit with Foslid on June 5 Although the officer lost sight of Foslid’s vehicle, the car was relocated a short while later, and Foslid fled into the woods on foot.

The Colfax Police Department requested the Dunn County Sheriff’s Department’s tracking dog to track Foslid, and the sheriff’s department assisted in apprehending Foslid.

Foslid was charged with five counts of felony bail jumping, knowingly fleeing an officer and also received a citation for a cracked windshield, which was the original reason for stopping Foslid, he said.

During the July 10 hearing, Judge Smeltzer ordered a pre-sentence investigation.

Foslid is scheduled to be sentenced at 10:30 a.m. on September 20.