Mille Lacs County Deputy Arrests Wanted Man

BAYVIEW (WJON News) -- A Deerwood man who was wanted on a warrant was arrested following an incident in Mille Lacs County earlier this week.

Mille Lacs County Sheriff Kyle Burton says around 4:30 a.m. Thursday, a deputy on a routine patrol came across a vehicle parked in the middle of Highway 27 near Bayview.

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The sheriff’s office says the vehicle had the hazard lights flashing, and a man was running circles around it. The man, identified as 27-year-old Alexander Russell, was a wanted fugitive with a warrant out for his arrest from the Minnesota Department of Corrections dating back to November 2022.

The sheriff’s office says the deputy tried to arrest Russell who fought back but was then taken into custody. Authorities say he was found with 49 grams of meth in his possession.

Court records show Russell was previously convicted on felony stalking charges in Crow Wing County and was sentenced to 18 months in prison. Russell was booked into the St. Cloud Prison in August 2021 and was later turned over to Crow Wing County Community Corrections. At the time of his escape, he was being held at a non-Minnesota Department of Corrections facility. He was due to complete his sentence in March 2023.

In addition to the warrant, he is now facing new charges that include possession of a controlled substance, sale of a controlled substance, obstruction, DWI, and refusal to submit to a chemical test.