Armed Felon Arrested in Stewartville Motorcycle Theft Case

Stewartville, MN (KROC-AM News)- The Olmsted County Sheriff’s Office arrested a felon armed with a shotgun in connection to a motorcycle theft reported in Stewartville. 

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Captain Tim Parkin said deputies were dispatched to the theft report shortly after 8:20 Monday morning. The motorcycle was reported stolen overnight from a residence along Eagle Dr. Northwest. 

Parkin said a deputy enroute to the call drove by the Leitzen Storage facility and saw a man pushing a motorcycle that matched the description of the stolen vehicle inside of a storage unit. The deputy then confronted the man, identified as 26-year-old James Michael Kenyon of Stewartville, who let go of the motorcycle and put his hands on the hood of the deputy’s squad car. 

The incident report said Kenyon’s behavior led deputies to suspect him of being under the influence of a controlled substance. Kenyon also said he had something on him, according to Parkin. 

During the interaction, Kenyon removed his hands from the squad car’s hood and took off running. Parkin said two deputies chased after him and saw Kenyon attempt to reach into a jacket pocket during the foot pursuit. 

The deputies caught Kenyon and struggle ensued causing deputies to tase him, Parkin said. Kenyon was eventually placed in cuffs and the deputies found a sawed off shotgun in his jacket pocket that had a stuck zipper, Parkin said. 

Kenyon was arrested on suspicion of felony theft of a motor vehicle, felon in possession of a firearm, felony possession of a short-barreled shotgun and misdemeanor charges related to the foot pursuit. 

Court records indicate Kenyon has a lengthy history of felony offenses including multiple convictions for fleeing and theft. He’s awaiting arraignment in Olmsted County Court.