Grand Forks Herald
Tuesday, December 18, 2012
By: Stephen J. Lee
A Grand Forks man arrested early Monday and charged with robbing another man at the threat of a knife told a judge he wasn’t guilty of the charge that carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison.
Abdullah Ali Guled, 24, 814 Fourth Ave. S., was arrested early Monday and made his first appearance via television from the Grand Forks County jail on the Class B felony charge of robbery.
Guled was arrested about 3 a.m. Monday after a man said Guled threatened him with a knife and took his money.
The man said it happened outside his home about 2:41 a.m. in the 900 block of University Avenue, which would be near the Red Pepper restaurant.
The man told Grand Forks Police Officer April Prock that Guled walked up, said he had a knife and asked the man “what do you have in your pocket?”
The man handed Guled a $20 bill and Guled walked away, according to Prock’s affidavit of probable cause.
Based on the man’s description, Prock found Guled nearby and detained him.
While Guled was being booked into jail, a corrections officer found a metal pipe on him, the kind used to ingest drugs. He also was charged with misdemeanor possession of drug paraphernalia, according to Prock.
During his court appearance Monday via TV link, Guled at first shook his head when asked if he could follow the proceedings.
State District Judge Lawrence Jahnke asked Guled if he needed an interpreter, which would mean he would have to wait in jail for a day or two while arrangements were made for a Somali interpreter.
Guled then said he could understand English and wanted to proceed to have an arraignment scheduled and bond set.
Known for using sarcasm in court, Jahnke replied: “Instant recall?”
The judge then explained Guled’s constitutional rights.
Guled listened and said, “I am not guilty.”
Jahnke scheduled his arraignment, when he can enter a formal plea to the charges, for Feb. 11.
Assistant State’s Attorney Tom Falck asked Jahnke to set Guled’s bail at $7,500 cash or surety, saying he had prior convictions in Minneapolis.
According to Minnesota court records, Guled was sentenced Dec. 5 in Hennepin County court to serve six days in jail for obstructing the legal process. He was sentenced to 90 days, with 80 days suspended and credit for four days already served; he also was put on a year of probation by a Minneapolis judge.
Guled also has a 2011 misdemeanor conviction in Minneapolis for interfering with traffic and served a few days in jail.
He remained Monday night in the Grand Forks County jail.