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One man charged with Keepers, Monument break-ins; charges against a second man pending
One man has been charged with four felonies in connection with two burglaries that occurred at The Keepers, Sept. 5 and 6, and a forced entry at the Visitor's Center at Pipestone National Monument, Sept. 13.
Lenny Dean White, 23, of Pipestone, was charged with four felony counts, one of burglary in the second degree; two of burglary in the third degree; and the fourth of theft.
The four charges collectively carry a maximum sentence of 30 years imprisonment, fines of $60,0000, or both.
White was arraigned Wednesday in Pipestone County District Court. His bail was set at $20,000.
White will make his initial appearance in court Oct. 6 at 9 a.m.
White was taken into custody on unrelated charges of criminal damage to property. Evidence collected during the investigation of the burglaries at The Keepers implicated White, which led investigators to interview him, said Pipestone County Sheriff Dan Delaney.
During that Sept. 21 interview, White allegedly admitted to all three of the break-ins, according to the complaint filed Wednesday, Sept. 23.
As much as $10,000 in cash and merchandise was stolen over the course of two consecutive evenings from The Depot owned by the Keepers of the Sacred Tradition of Pipemakers. At Pipestone National Monument, the would-be burglers gained forced entry to the Visitor’s Center, but were thwarted from taking anything by an alarm system that drew immediate response.
White said during his taped interview that he conducted the break-ins with another man, named in the complaint as Duran Zephier. Zephier stayed with his grandmother, Madeline Redwing, at her residence at 515 N. Hiawatha Ave. and had stashed the stolen items at that house, White said, according to the complaint.
Neither Madeline Redwing nor Ray Redwing knew anything about the stolen goods when questioned by Sheriff Delaney, until Madeline received a text message from Zephier indicating, “backyard in trash can everything is there!!” and later, another text indicating the hiding place of additional merchandise.
The Sheriff’s Office recovered a plastic garbage bag containing pipes and other merchandise and two laptop computers in the locations indicated by the text messages, according to the complaint.
Delaney said Zephier was arrested last evening, Sept. 22 and has since been released. He expected a complaint to be filed by today, Sept. 23.
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