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Group accused of racketeering after a string of 44 business break-ins

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Published  April 21, 2025 7:25pm CDT
Crime and Public Safety
FOX 9

The Brief

    • Hennepin County prosecutors charged eight individuals with racketeering, linking them to 44 burglaries across Twin Cities metro businesses.
    • Led by Arron King Sr., the group targeted bars and golf courses, stealing large sums of charitable gambling cash, often operating from King's St. Paul apartment.
    • The crimes spanned from March 2023 to February 2024, frequently involving smashed doors, safes stolen or damaged, and repeated hits on locations like American Legions and VFWs.

MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - Hennepin County prosecutors have brought racketeering charges against a group linked to 44 separate burglaries at businesses in the Twin Cities metro.

String of break-ins

The backstory:

The charges outline more than 44 different break-ins and thefts that have been linked to the group.

Authorities say the group was led by Arron King Sr. and it regularly targeted bars and golf courses which kept cash on site. Police say the group operated out of King's apartment on Arbor Street in St. Paul.

Dig deeper:

The break-ins included:

  • Burglary #1: March 6, 2023 - Wild Boar, Hopkins, Minn. Two masked men broke in, took a safe with $21,741 cash (charitable gambling funds), and a blank check.
  • Burglary #2: March 16, 2023 - Cowboy Jack's, Otsego. A window was broken, and a safe with $17,781 cash (charitable gambling funds) was stolen.
  • Burglary #3: March 22, 2023 - American Legion, St. Louis Park. Two glass doors were broken; nothing reported stolen.
  • Burglary #4: March 25, 2023 - Wildcats, Eagan. Two men broke in using a sledgehammer; nothing reported stolen.
  • Burglary #5: March 31, 2023 - Broadway Bar & Pizza, Elk River. Two men broke a glass door, took a safe with $13,807 cash (charitable gambling funds).
  • Burglary #6: April 4, 2023 - VFW Post #1215, Rochester. Three suspects used a sledgehammer to break the front glass door; nothing reported stolen.
  • Burglary #7: April 4, 2023 - Full Tilt, Bloomington. A large window was smashed, a safe pried open, and $18,367 of cash (charitable gambling funds) stolen.
  • Burglary #8: April 6, 2023 - American Legion, Chanhassen. Glass on the main door smashed, pull tab area door damaged; nothing reported stolen.
  • Burglary #9: April 7, 2023 - American Legion, Monticello. Glass door smashed, pull tab booth accessed with tools; nothing reported stolen.
  • Burglary #10: April 7, 2023 - Wildcats, Eagan. Front glass door broken, pull tab booth pulled aside; nothing reported stolen.
  • Burglary #11: April 8, 2023 - Sports Page, Bloomington. Large window broken out, wooden sliding closet doors damaged; nothing reported stolen.
  • Burglary #12: April 13, 2023 - American Legion, Howard Lake. Window broken, safe with $11,853 cash taken from pull tab booth.
  • Burglary #13: April 17, 2023 - American Legion, Stillwater. Front door pried open, pull tab safe with $3,270 cash taken.
  • Burglary #14: April 21, 2023 - Blainbrook Bowl, Blaine. Large side window broken, interior door forced open, pull tab safe damaged; nothing reported stolen.
  • Burglary #15: April 22, 2023 - Stout's, Falcon Heights. Window smashed, safe with $7,888 cash (charitable gambling funds) stolen.
  • Burglary #16: April 25, 2023 - Big Louie's, New Brighton. Window broken, drawers in pull tab area forced open; nothing reported stolen.
  • Burglary #17: April 29, 2023 - Bogart's, Apple Valley. Front double doors damaged, pull tab safe with $14,224 cash (charitable gambling funds) taken.
  • Burglary #18: May 3, 2023 - Mama G's, Corcoran. Front door glass broken, pull tab booth door damaged; nothing reported stolen.
  • Burglary #19: May 3, 2023 - VFW, North St. Paul. Front door pried open, pull tab area door damaged; nothing reported stolen.
  • Burglary #20: May 4, 2023 - The Clover, Rosemount. Front door pried open, safe with $24,083 cash (charitable gambling funds) stolen.
  • Burglary #21: May 9, 2023 - American Legion, North St. Paul. Attempted break-in using tools; suspects arrested, nothing stolen.
  • Burglary #22: July 4, 2023 - Farmington Lanes, Farmington. Door forced open with pry bar; nothing reported stolen.
  • Burglary #23: July 4, 2023 - Johnny Kitchen & Bar, Maplewood. Glass door shattered, pull tab area disturbed; nothing reported stolen.
  • Burglary #24: July 10, 2023 - Hudy's Café, Champlin. Door forced open, pull tab safe with $12,384 cash (charitable gambling funds) stolen.
  • Burglary #25: July 15, 2023 - Wild Boar, Oakdale. Door pried open, cabinet doors in pull tab booth broken; nothing reported stolen.
  • Burglary #26: July 17, 2023 - Crooked Pint, Maplewood. Front door and pull tab booth drawers/cabinets pried open; nothing reported stolen.
  • Burglary #27: July 24, 2023 - Bungalow Inn, Lakeland. Door forced open, safe with $17,707 cash (charitable gambling funds) stolen.
  • Burglary #28: July 27, 2023 - Welsch's Big Ten Tavern, Arden Hills. Glass door smashed, pull tab safe damaged; suspects scared off, nothing reported stolen.
  • Burglary #29: August 6, 2023 - McCarron's Pub & Grill, Maplewood. Window smashed with a sledgehammer, pull tab booth damaged; nothing reported stolen.
  • Burglary #30: August 7, 2023 - Dunham's, West St. Paul. Exterior door pried open, pull tab booth damaged; nothing reported stolen.
  • Burglary #31: August 13, 2023 - VFW, Forest Lake. Front glass door smashed, safe with $25,513 cash stolen.
  • Burglary #32: August 18, 2023 - Country Lounge, Gem Lake. Window smashed, pull tab safe damaged with sledgehammer; nothing reported stolen.
  • Burglary #33: August 19, 2023 - Keller Golf Course, Maplewood. The glass door to the clubhouse was smashed, the ATM moved; nothing reported stolen.
  • Burglary #34: August 20, 2023 - Faribault Country Club, Faribault. Window broken, approximately $2,000 cash stolen.
  • Burglary #35: August 25, 2023 - Kelly's Korner, Centerville. Door glass smashed, pull tab safe damaged.
  • Burglary #36: August 25, 2023 - Spring Street Tavern, Minneapolis. Door glass shattered with sledgehammers, pull tab booth ransacked; nothing reported stolen.
  • Burglary #37: August 27, 2023 - Broadway Bar & Pizza, Plymouth. Front door glass smashed, electronic pull tab machine damaged; nothing reported stolen.
  • Burglary #38: August 27, 2023 - Gallagher's Bar, West St. Paul. Window smashed, pull tab area ransacked; nothing reported stolen.
  • Burglary #39: August 27, 2023 - Cherry Pit, Saint Paul. Glass door smashed with a sledgehammer, pull tab area disturbed; nothing reported stolen.
  • Burglary #40: September 8, 2023 - Monie's Bar, Maple Plain. Glass door shattered with a sledgehammer, cabinet damaged; nothing reported stolen.
  • Burglary #41: September 10, 2023 - Hawks Sports Bar & Grill, Monticello. Front door pried open, $10,095 cash (charitable gambling funds) taken from pull tab safe.
  • Burglary #42: January 29, 2024 - Willy McCoy's, Bloomington. Glass door smashed with a sledgehammer, pull tab safe damaged; nothing reported stolen.
  • Burglary #43: February 15, 2024 - American Legion, Apple Valley. Attempted burglary; suspects tried to break glass door with a sledgehammer, but were unsuccessful.
  • Burglary #44: February 22, 2024 - JJ's Clubhouse, Golden Valley. Glass door smashed, pull tab area disturbed.

Eight suspects charged

What we know:

Charges were filed on Friday against eight people who were involved in the case:

  • Jawan Jackson, 34, is charged with racketeering
  • Arron King Sr., 50, is charged with racketeering
  • Arron King Jr., 26, is charged with racketeering
  • Emondre Morrison, 28, is charged with racketeering
  • Sean Fikes, 48, is charged with racketeering
  • Dale Massie Jr., 50, is charged with racketeering
  • Tyler Paananen-Berneche, 31, is charged with racketeering
  • Cory Rosillo, 54, is charged with racketeering
Crime and Public SafetyHennepin County