Becker County

Hinckley man allegedly paid undercover cop to kidnap his ex-girlfriend, turn her into sex slave

Jesse Ericson originally wanted to hire a hitman to kill his estranged ex-girlfriend. Then, however, he decided he preferred to condemn her to a fate worse than death.Ericson, a 45-year-old Hinckley resident, ultimately hoped to kidnap his ex and turn her into his own personal sex slave, but the man ... More >>

Republican Phil Hansen, former NFL star, running for Minnesota Senate

​Former North Dakota State and Buffalo Bills football standout Phil Hansen is running for the Minnesota Senate as a Republican.Hansen, 43, is running in Senate District 4, which covers Clay and Norman counties as well as parts of Becker County, including Detroit Lakes, in northwestern Minnesota.A ... More >>

Water sports

Exiled Off Main Street

Rural and suburban communities have resisted housing sex offenders. A new program aims to change that.

Wheeler Dealer

How Minnesota cops and the war on drugs made a successful entrepreneur out of a small-time hustler and snitch named Michael Felix

Fighting Words