WATSON, Minn. — Prosecutors in Chippewa County have filed felony charges against a man accused of making online threats that led to a lockdown of the University of Minnesota campus and several area school districts.
Court documents detail the case against 41-year-old Joseph Mark Rongstad of Watson, who is charged with two felony counts of threats of violence and one of being a felon in possession of ammunition.
A criminal complaint said on Jan. 10 the Chippewa County Sheriff's Office received multiple calls from residents concerned about posts on the All Time Curbing and Landscape Facebook page. Authorities were aware that the business belongs to Joseph Rongstad, whom the department has had previous contact with.
Deputies investigated and found a string of rambling and mostly incomprehensible posts from late Jan. 10 through the morning of Jan. 11 containing profanity, talk of conspiracy, mind control and threats of violence.
One post in particular mentioned that Rongstad was "heading out from watson MN to the U of M Minneapolis, Mn to start killing kids this am as Joseph mark Rongstad. It only takes 2.5 hours to get there."
When informed of the threat U of M police placed the campus on lockdown procedures, as did several public school districts surrounding Watson. The West Central SWAT Team was activated and dispatched to Rongstad's home on the 300 block of Park Ave. in Watson.
After a standoff of several hours, Rongstad emerged from the residence and was taken into custody without incident. Deputies executed a search warrant on the home and found:
Letters written on paper (as seen in the Facebook posts), located in the living room common area.
- A black case with unidentified pills located in the upstairs south-facing bedroom.
- Handmade envelope with writing
- Several boxes and rounds of shotgun ammunition located in the south-facing porch.
The complaint says investigators questioned Rongstad around 10 p.m. that evening after he agreed to speak with them. They say the defendant talked about how when he served as Mayor of Watson he started "catching onto government stuff, such as, mind reading, MK Ultra-mind control, and shadow government." He allegedly said the goal of the Facebook posts was to get the Secret Service to come and speak with him.
Prosecutors say during the interview that Rongstad said he was never going to kill anyone, and didn't have a gun.
Joseph Rongstad has an extensive criminal history ranging from drug possession and damage to property to burglary and fleeing police. He was committed in 2016 for mental illness and chemical addiction.
Years prior, Rongstad did serve as Watson's mayor.
He remains in custody in Chippewa County on $1 million bail with no release conditions.
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