St. Paul Man Sentenced for Series of Burglaries Across Twin Cities
TWIN CITIES, MINNESOTA— Richard Lee Holston, 44, of St. Paul, has been sentenced to 21 months in the Minnesota Correctional Facility in St. Cloud for his involvement in a series of burglaries across the Twin Cities metro area, according to recently released court documents. Holston was convicted of third-degree burglary, a felony, for his role in a string of thefts that targeted businesses in Eagan, Minneapolis, and other locations in the region.
The case stemmed from an incident on November 13, 2019, when Eagan police responded to a burglary alarm at a local business. Upon arrival, officers found the door pried open and approximately $14,000 worth of cigarettes and tobacco products missing. Security footage revealed three suspects wearing hooded sweatshirts, masks, and gloves. Holston, the smallest of the three suspects, was identified by his distinctive clothing and shoes, court records show.
The burglary in Eagan was just the beginning. According to court documents, later that morning, the same suspects hit another business on Lyndale Avenue South in Minneapolis, stealing cigarettes and $2,000 in cash. Their crime spree continued with a third burglary on Central Avenue Northeast in Minneapolis, where over $100,000 in cash and jewelry were stolen.
Court documents state that footage from the apartment complex where one of Holston's accomplices, Kevin Wayne Joseph, lived, played a crucial role in identifying the suspects. Joseph's Ford Expedition and a dark-colored sedan belonging to Maurice Antonio Owen were captured entering and exiting the garage multiple times on the night of the burglaries. Holston was seen accompanying Joseph and Owen, wearing the same clothes as the one identified in the Eagan burglary.
Further investigations connected Holston, Joseph, and Owen to more than 15 additional burglaries between September and December 2019. The trio was also linked to a burglary in Minnetonka on November 6, 2019, during which valuable collectibles were stolen. According to court documents, they were apprehended the next day while attempting to sell the stolen items.
Holston was sentenced by Judicial Officer Timothy J. McManus on June 20, 2024, who ordered Holston to report to the St. Cloud correctional facility. Holston received credit for 472 days served in pre-trial detention.
Iowa Conviction and Incarceration
Holston's criminal activities extended beyond Minnesota. According to a news story from the Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier, he was also involved in a series of burglaries in Johnson County, Iowa. On April 4, 2023, Holston and an accomplice, Najee Balil Abdullah, burglarized the Acapulco Mexican Bakery in Iowa City and the El Azul grocery store in North Liberty. The duo used tools to break into the businesses and steal valuables, including a safe. The Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier reports that investigators linked Holston and Abdullah to these crimes through security footage and a traffic stop in Eagle Grove, where they were found with burglary tools and wearing the same clothing seen in the burglaries.
According to the Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier, Holston and Abdullah are suspected of being involved in over 30 burglaries across the Midwest. They were arrested and held at the Johnson County Jail in Iowa City. Holston was later transferred to the Iowa Medical & Classification Center (IMCC) in Coralville, IA, where he was serving a 10-year sentence for these crimes. He was then transferred to Dakota County for theft charges in Eagan, Minnesota, and Rochester, Minnesota.
Additional Felony Conviction in Rochester
In a separate case, court records show Holston was also convicted of felony theft for an incident that occurred in Rochester, Minnesota, on November 4, 2021. Holston was charged with theft for taking, using, or transferring movable property without consent, with the stolen property valued over $5,000. According to court documents, Holston was sentenced to 26 months in the Minnesota Correctional Facility in St. Cloud, with credit for 96 days served in pre-trial detention. This conviction was prosecuted by the Olmsted County Attorney's Office and investigated by the Rochester Police Department.
According to court documents, he continues to be held in the Minnesota Correctional Facility in St. Cloud in concurrent sentences for the above cases.
Co-Conspirators and Related Cases
Court documents show that Kevin Wayne Joseph, 44, of St. Paul, was also implicated in the burglary spree. He was arrested on November 7, 2019, while attempting to sell stolen items from a Minnetonka burglary. Joseph faced multiple charges, including third-degree burglary and receiving stolen property. Records show that on September 9, 2021, Joseph was convicted of receiving stolen property, a misdemeanor, and sentenced to probation. Several burglary charges against him were dismissed.
Court records show that Maurice Antonio Owen, the third accomplice, had their charges related to the burglaries dropped after Owen pleaded guilty twice to selling cocaine in an unrelated Minnesota Federal Case. According to court records, they are now facing a sentence of over 100 months in federal custody as a result of those guilty pleas.
Richard Lee Holston provided by the Dakota County
Written by: Will Wight
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