Rochester Teen Charged in Machine Gun Case Accused of $35K Theft

Rochester, MN (KROC-AM News) - The Rochester teenager who was charged last week with possession of a machine gun has also been charged with the theft of more than $35,000.

According to a criminal complaint filed in Olmsted County Court late last week, 18-year-old Moses Joseph Ogak faces first-degree burglary and felony theft charges for allegedly breaking into a northwest Rochester apartment last July and stealing a lockbox containing the cash. The court document indicates the money belonged to the father of one of Ogak's friends.

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Another child of the victim told police that she was alone in the residence when Ogak entered without knocking. The witness stated that Ogak left a short time later and did not state the reason for his visit.

More Than $35,000 in Cash Missing

The following day, the victim returned home from work and checked on the lockbox, which contained money that he had been saving for more than five years. He had left it hidden inside a backpack tucked inside a plastic box covered with household items. The victim told police everything appeared as it had been, except the lockbox and the cash were missing.

Access to Apartment Key

The charges allege that Ogak had access to a key for the apartment because the victim's son had driven his vehicle to Ogak's residence the previous week before he was arrested on juvenile charges. The victim stated that the keys to the vehicle and a key to his apartment had been left at Ogak's residence and had not been returned.

Purchased a Mercedes-Benz

The criminal complaint says investigators also spoke with witnesses who reported that Ogak had recently purchased a Mercedes-Benz and had been spending a large amount of money on travel, nightclubs, and other activities.

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The evidence in the case also includes a pair of slide-style shoes that were found in the victim's apartment. The criminal complaint indicates that DNA evidence was used to link the shoes to Ogak.

Possession of Machine Gun

The Rochester teenager was also charged last week with possession of a machine gun. The criminal complaint in that case says a handgun that had been modified to operate as a fully automatic firearm was discovered during a search of a northwest Rochester residence in November of last year during a narcotics investigation. The court document says DNA evidence was also used to connect Ogak to the weapon.

READ MORE: Rochester Teen Faces Felony Charge for Machine Gun Possession

His bail was set at $150,000.