A sergeant with the Ramsey County sheriff’s office stole cash and a phone charger while executing a search warrant in March at a Payne-Phalen home, authorities say.
A motion-activated surveillance camera in a bedroom in the 600 block of Geranium Street caught Jason Degerstrom stuffing a phone charger into his pocket, according to a criminal complaint filed Tuesday in Ramsey County District Court.
He also was seen fumbling through a purse before stuffing what authorities suspect was cash into his pocket, the document said.
A resident of the home said she had about $1,000 in cash in the purse. Only about $500 remained when county staff took inventory following the March 18 search.
The woman also reported a bag of silver dollars and a sports rookie card were missing.
Another resident said additional cash and shoes were missing and not listed in the inventory.
Degerstrom is charged with misconduct of a public officer, a gross misdemeanor, and two misdemeanor counts of theft.
No attorney was listed in court records. His next court appearance is scheduled for July 9.
The sheriff’s office placed Degerstrom on leave April 2 after learning of the allegations, according to a statement released by public information officer Roy Magnuson.
“The alleged conduct outlined in the charging documents is troubling and will not be tolerated by this administration,” the statement read. “We will continue to demand that our staff act within the law and uphold the trust placed in us by the community.”
With charges now filed, the department will begin an internal affairs investigation into what took place, Magnuson said.
The Hennepin County sheriff’s office investigated the suspected theft because it involved the Ramsey County Violent Crimes Enforcement Team.
The incident is not the first time Degerstrom has been tied to misconduct in his capacity with the sheriff’s office.
A 2016 lawsuit accused him of “negligence and wanton care” while driving an unmarked sheriff’s department SUV in 2013. The plaintiff said Degerstrom failed to come to a complete stop at a Fridley intersection and struck the plaintiff’s car, causing “severe” injuries.
The case was settled in 2017 for around $10,000, according to court records.
