BLUE EARTH CO., Minn. (FOX 9) - An 18-year-old is behind bars after investigators uncovered an arsenal of firearms, illegal machine gun conversion devices and drugs inside an Eagle Lake home on Aug. 26.
Joint investigation leads to search warrant
What we know:
According to court documents, deputies with the Blue Earth County Sheriff's Office, agents with the Minnesota River Valley Drug Task Force, agents with the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension and Homeland Security investigators worked together on a joint investigation into illegal firearm components that had been delivered to a residence on the 100 block of North Agency Street in Eagle Lake.
The complaint states the investigation began after Homeland Security investigators alerted Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension Special Agent Johnson about a package originating from mainland China, addressed to "Danny Boy, 125 North Agency St., Eagle Lake, MN." The package contained an aluminum Glock conversion switch — commonly called a "switch" — hidden inside a key chain and necklace. A switch is an illegal device that converts a semi-automatic pistol into a fully automatic weapon capable of firing like a machine gun.
The complaint states authorities determined that Daniel Russell Chevre Jr., born Aug. 30, 2007, listed 125 North Agency St. as his address on his driver's license. Investigators also found a Facebook account linked to Chevre where his display name was "Danny Boy." Agent Johnson also learned from St. Paul police reports that Chevre had previously used a Glock pistol in December 2024 during an incident in St. Paul in which a juvenile male was shot by Chevre in a drug-related incident.
Based on that information, Agent Johnson obtained a search warrant for the residence. The warrant was executed at 12:15 p.m. on Aug. 26, shortly after the package was delivered to the home.
The complaint states before the search warrant was executed, Cassandra Lynn LeTourneau, 37, was stopped in a traffic stop after leaving the residence at 11:53 a.m. LeTourneau told law enforcement that Chevre would not be cooperative and that he would be in his bedroom inside the house.
The complaint states when officers entered the home, they found Chevre in his bedroom with a loaded, stolen Glock .45 sitting in his lap — with the machine gun conversion switch that had just been delivered already installed on it. The Glock .45 was confirmed stolen out of St. Paul. A second loaded Glock 27 40 S&W with a drum-style extended capacity magazine was found in Chevre's pocket. Another firearm was found on the floor under the desk where Chevre was sitting.
A search of Chevre's bedroom turned up a significant number of additional weapons and components. Law enforcement also found 14 additional machine gun conversion device components in Chevre's bedroom. Also found in Chevre's bedroom were six empty bottles of promethazine, 33 suspected fentanyl pills — commonly referred to as M30s — that field tested positive for fentanyl, and 97 suspected tramadol pills. Methamphetamine pipes were found in various spots throughout the house.
Chevre uncooperative with authorities
What they're saying:
The complaint states during the search, Chevre was uncooperative. Officers noted he began to stand up and that he was sitting on a pistol with a large magazine. He initially began reaching toward his groin area where the gun was located, was actively resistant, thrashing around and verbally disruptive. Chevre denied the switch on his gun was his, but also said, "I just put this on the back of my gun." He also stated the first person he sees he is going to "bust on them" and that he hates the police.
Chevre was transported to the Blue Earth County Jail, where Minnesota River Valley Drug Task Force Agent Nelson and Homeland Security Investigations Special Agent Clifton interviewed him. After being read his Miranda rights and agreeing to speak, Chevre admitted all of the guns and switches recovered belonged to him and that he installed the switch delivered that day on the gun. He said the gun he installed the switch on came from a guy "in the streets" and claimed the rest of the guns were legally purchased. Chevre said he purchased all of the switches within the last year online from what he believed to be China. He admitted the 33 pills found in his room belonged to him.
Chevre also told investigators the reason he did not shoot at law enforcement was because his mom and children were in the home, and had they not been there, he would have pulled the firearm in his lap on the officers. He made additional alarming comments that he would stab someone in the neck and watch that person die, and that doing so would not scare him as much as the time he is facing.
Three family members also arrested
Chevre was not the only person taken into custody. The complaint states LeTourneau, Todd Richard Wyberala, 55, and Christine Joanne Pinc, 62, were all arrested on drug-related charges and remain in the Blue Earth County Jail.
The complaint states four juveniles between the ages of 4 and 16 were also present in the home during the search warrant execution. Two of the children, ages 4 and 7, are Wyberala and LeTourneau's. Wyberala said his 4-year-old and 7-year-old sleep in a makeshift bunk bed inside a closet in his and LeTourneau's bedroom. He said the children were sleeping while he was watching pornography "so it was alright." LeTourneau confirmed her daughter and son sleep in the bedroom she shares with Wyberala and had a bunk bed in the closet. She said she smoked methamphetamine last week in the garage.
In the basement, which is occupied by Pinc, law enforcement found a methamphetamine pipe with visible crystalline residue and multiple small baggies containing crystalline residue that field tested positive for methamphetamine. Pinc told investigators she had only lived at the residence for less than two weeks.
Charges and what's next
Chevre faces 11 charges in total. Six counts relate to illegally owning, possessing or operating a machine gun, trigger activator or machine gun conversion kit — each carrying a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, a $35,000 fine or both. He also faces two counts of possessing a controlled substance in a public housing zone, including one count specifically related to possessing three grams or more of heroin, each carrying a maximum sentence of not less than three years and up to 20 years or $250,000 or both. Two additional counts involve receiving stolen property — specifically stolen firearms — each carrying a maximum of 20 years or a $100,000 fine or both. He also faces one gross misdemeanor count of obstructing or interfering with a peace officer, carrying a maximum of 364 days or a $3,000 fine or both.
LeTourneau, Wyberala and Pinc were arrested for drug-related offenses and remain in the Blue Earth County Jail pending formal charges.
What we don't know:
Formal charges for LeTourneau, Wyberala and Pinc had not been announced as of Aug. 26. The investigation remains ongoing, and no additional information was available at the time of release.
The Source: This story is based on a media release and probable cause statement from the Blue Earth County Sheriff's Office, dated Aug. 26.