Brainerd Stabbing Happened During Drug Exchange

On Monday April 12th, the two men allegedly involved in the stabbing that happened in northeast Brainerd, April 9th, were charged in Crow Wing County District Court.

Jessey Duane Johnson, 28, of Deerwood faces two felony counts for second- and third-degree assault charges using a dangerous weapon and causing bodily harm.

Daniel Richard Lasart, 45, of Federal Dam, faces a felony of second-degree assault with a dangerous weapon.

Jason Howard Mattsen, 42, of Brainerd is faces a felony charge of violating a no-contact order, which is unrelated to the stabbing icident. He was, however, at the residence when the other two men were arrested and that was when he was in violation of the no-contact order.

According to the court documents, at 1:35 am April 9th, Brainerd police officers were dispatched to a suspicious activity call on the 100 block of 1st Avenue NE in Brainerd. Two males were allegedly banging on the back door of a residence in that area. One of the males was yelling, but the reporting party could not understand what he was saying.

The man who was knocking on the door was wearing baggies clothes, jeans, and had curly-hair. He was later identified as the man who had been stabbed. The victim reported he was stabbed by one of the males and another male threatened him with a knife. The victim was then transported to the hospital for his injuries.

Police took a statement from the victim where he told police he had set up a drug exchange with Johnson. The victim’s statement continued, he says he met Johnson near the alleyway on the 100 block of 2nd Ave by the car lot. The victim bought a bad of methamphetamine from Johnson for $205, but when he tasted some of it, he says he realized it wasn’t real.

The victim reported he then asked Johnson for his money back. When Johnson refused, the victim reported he grabbed Johnson’s jacket, telling Johnson to give him his money. The victim reported that is when Johnson struck him in the lower right abdomen. The victim then punched Johnson on the top of his head, and realized not only had Johnson punched him, but stabbed him as well.

Two more men stepped into the victims view, one holding a small buck knife in his hand. The victim reported that knife was about five inches long. The man identified with the buck knife was Lasart. The victim said that is when Lasart threatened to stab him. The victim reported he became fearful and ran to the first house he saw, which was the residence the police were dispatched to at 1:35 am. When the victim started knocking the men left east through the alley.

The victim was shown photographs of the suspected men involved, and he identified Johnson as the man who stabbed him and Lasart as the man who threatened to stab him.

Officers used a K-9 officer to track the suspects. It led the officers to a residence on first Avenue NE in Brainerd where both Johnson and Lasart were located.Both men were placed under arrest.

In a statement to the police, Johnson said he didn’t remember a lot of the details other than he was going to meet the victim in an alley and sell him $60 worth of Marijuana. Johnson said he thinks the victim hit him first, trying to steal from him and doesn’t remember how the victim got stabbed. Lasart declined to provide a statement.

Officers spoke with the resident at the house Johnson and Lasart were located. The resident reported Johnson was bleeding from an injury to his eye and the top of his head. The resident asked Johnson what happened and Johnson pulled out a knife and said, “I think I stabbed him too.” The officers did a search if the house after the resident gave them permission, and they found a silver-handled folding knife wedged down in a couch cushion, 569 dollars in cash, and a small bag of weed.

Mattsen was not involved with the stabbing, but was at the residence when police located and arrested Johnson and Lasart. The resident of the house has a domestic abuse-no contact order against Mattsen. Because the two were together, he was found in violation of the order and arrested.

All three men are in Crow Wing County Jail.

• Mattsen’s next court hearing is April 29th on the violation of the no contact order. The judge ordered a $200,000 bond with no conditions.
• Johnson’s next court hearing is April 29th. He is being held on $30,000 bail with no conditions or $75,000 with conditions, including no contact with the victims: not possessing or using a firearm or any dangerous weapon: and not using alcohol or controlled substances or entering any bar or liquor establishment.
• Lasart’s next court hearing is April 22nd. He is being held on the same terms as Johnson.