Case against Iron Range Hells Angels in jeopardy

Government misconduct and connections between law enforcement and Hells Angels president leave questions

Part 1:

EVELETH, Minn. – Government misconduct could jeopardize a 2023 kidnapping and assault case against members of the Iron Range Hells Angels.

A member of the Hells Angels, Paul Debelak, does still is accused of, among other things, first-degree assault and kidnapping, after a judge on Tuesday rejected a request from his lawyer to dismiss the case.

Court records show that the other defendants also filed nearly identical motions to dismiss, calling into question not only the state’s narrative on the case but also their conduct during its prosecution.

Among the most egregious complaints are allegations that Minnesota BCA special agents monitored the attorney-client communications of at least one of the defendants while in custody. Agents then allegedly passed information from these privileged jail texts/calls to Assistant Attorney General Christopher Florey.

Court documents show Florey immediately reported the incident to the defense and instructed officers to stop reviewing privileged communications.

During Debelak’s omnibus hearing Tuesday at the St. Louis County Courthouse in Virginia, his attorney referred to the defense’s Oct. 4 letter from Florey. The letter summarizes a series of phone calls between him and Gilbert Police Chief Ty Techar.

Techar told Florey that he was contacted several months ago by Minnesota BCA Special Agent Skorczewski, who requested the Gilbert Police Department’s assistance in monitoring jail sentences and text messages for this case. According to the letter, the BCA officer told Techar that the request was: “Due to a conflict with the Eveleth Police Department.”

Florey’s summary indicates that at least one Gilbert officer had been monitoring privileged prison communications. Techar is told by Florey that the department must stop reviewing those calls and text messages.

During the last conversation between the two, Florey wrote that Techar commented on “Special Agent Skorczewski going off the deep end.” When asked to explain this, Techar stated that Skorczewski had taken time off and believed it was due to him being “stressed” and “overworked.”

Florey also wrote that Techar indicated that “the review of jail texts/calls in this case may be more widespread,” which could cause problems in this and other cases. The letter ends with: “Chief Techar indicated that the case was falling apart.”

It is not clear from the letter what the “conflict” with the Eveleth Police Department is, to which Special Agent Skorczewski refers. However, FOX21’s investigation into the ongoing lawsuits has uncovered a clear connection between Eveleth Police Officer Anthony Goulet and Iron Range Hells Angels President Jerand French.

Part 2:

In the fall of 2022, Officer Goulet, then a 12-year veteran of the force, wrote letters of recommendation for Frans as he sought to have his firearm rights restored. French, a felon prohibited from possessing firearms, was found guilty in 2004 of stealing from a gun store in Ely. French later admitted that he planned to take the stolen firearms to Wisconsin and sell them.

Fond Du Lac Tribal and Community College Criminal Justice/Peace Officer Program Coordinator, and former Duluth Police Chief Mike Tusken, mentioned the letters regarding. “When they (officers) take an oath of office and that oath, it’s not just their behavior that they exhibit while on duty,” Tusken said, “but it’s also related to their behavior off duty.”

The Eveleth City Council accepted a letter from Goulet during a one-minute special meeting on August 27. We attempted to reach the city and Police Chief Jesse Linde for comment but have not received a response.