Crime & Safety

Police: Apple Valley Woman Ambushed, Threatened by Drunken Man

Police say Jesse Lee Roberts threatened to kill a stranger he met on an Apple Valley street.

A Mankato man drank a half case of beer and some shots, then hurled racial slurs at and threatened to kill a woman he met on the street in Apple Valley, according to police.

Jesse Lee Roberts, 28, faces one felony count of terroristic threats, according to a criminal complaint filed by the Dakota County Attorney's Office. If convicted, he could face a maximum of five years in prison and $10,000 in fines.

Police were called to the 1500 block of Drexel Way just before 2 a.m. on May 19. There, they spoke with a woman who told officers she was letting her dogs out when a man later identified as Roberts put his hand over her mouth, told her he was a marine and said he would "[expletive] kill her".

The woman told police she broke free and backed away from Roberts, then tried to flee back into her home, but was stopped by a locked door. The woman went for a neighbor's house, at which point Roberts allegedly put his hand on her arm and said: "You gook, I'm going to [expletive] kill you."

In response, the woman told allegedly told Roberts she was scared, and offered to help him. Roberts told her he "hated Americans" then ran down the street, according to police.

After the confrontation, the victim dialed 911 from a neighbor's house. Police allegedly found Roberts running in the area a short time later. When Roberts saw the officer, police say he went down to his knees in the street and raised his hands. Police spoke with Roberts, who smelled strongly of alcohol, according to the complaint.

Roberts told police he was in the area with his wife visiting a friend. Roberts denied speaking with the victim, denied having any mental health disorders, denied taking any illicit drugs and denied ever being in the military.

Police say he did admit to drinking a half case of beer and some shots at a party earlier in the evening.


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