Statement on Cesar Sayoc's charges in Hennepin County

The arrest and charging of Cesar Sayoc in connection with mailing bombs to prominent people has brought attention, and some misunderstanding, about his crimes in Hennepin County decades ago.

To set the record straight, Mr. Sayoc was charged by the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office in 1995 with theft by swindle over $500 and fifth-degree possession of .5 grams of crack cocaine, the lowest level felony drug crime at the time. A complaint warrant was issued and bail of $5,000 was requested.

Mr. Sayoc was not apprehended on those charges for 10 years, in late August of 2005. He posted the $5,000 bail. The charges were dismissed by an assistant Hennepin County Attorney on Sept. 8, 2005, not then-county attorney Amy Klobuchar. The court records indicate the drug charge was dismissed because the drugs had been destroyed in 1997. While there no longer are any records on why the theft by swindle charge was dropped, standard practice would be to determine if there was still sufficient evidence and witness availability 10 years later. If not, the case would have to be dismissed.

Finally, even if the county attorney’s office had been able to take the case forward and get a guilty plea or a jury verdict of guilty, Mr. Sayoc would have received no prison time and a probation period of up to three years for these offenses. In short, he would have been free to leave Minnesota more than 10 years ago.