Eight Minnesotans charged with racketeering after 44 burglaries for pulltab cash netting $200,000

The pulltab prowlers left nothing to chance.

Charges filed in Hennepin County District Court last week allege that a group of eight men stole more than $200,000 of charitable gaming proceeds from 2023-2024. They were well organized with lengthy criminal histories and a ring leader scouting VFWs, American Legions and various other bar and restaurant locations in every nook and cranny of the Twin Cities metro area.

They would arrive after bar close wearing ski masks, wielding sledgehammers and go for the safe. No one got hurt and most of the money was earmarked for youth athletic associations.

They allegedly hit the Wild Boar in Hopkins for more than $20,000; they broke into American Legions in St. Louis Park, Chanhassen, Monticello, Howard Lake, Stillwater, North St. Paul and Apple Valley; VFWs in Rochester, North St. Paul and Forest Lake; Willy McCoy’s and Sports Page in Bloomington and Wildcats in Eagan twice.

They got more than $17,000 from the Cowboy Jack’s in Ostego; broke into Blainbrook Bowl in Blaine; Welsch’s Big Ten Tavern in Arden Hills; Big Louie’s in New Brighton; Bogart’s in Apple Valley; Mama G’s in Maple Grove; The Clover in Rosemount; Farmington Lanes; Hudy’s Cafe in Champlin and the Wild Boar in Oakdale.

The safe inside Full Tilt in Bloomington was taken with $18,367 inside, targeted for the Jefferson Athletic Foundation; they stole cash from the Bungalow Inn in Lakeland and Stout’s in Falcon Heights. They broke into four locations in Maplewood: the Crooked Pint, Johnny’s Kitchen & Bar, Keller Golf Course and McCarron’s Pub & Grill.

They broke a glass window at Broadway Bar & Pizza in Plymouth and got away with $13,807. They broke into Gallagher’s Bar and Dunham’s West in West St. Paul; Country Lounge in Gem Lake; Fairbault Country Club; Kelly’s Korner in Centerville; Spring Street Tavern in Minneapolis; Cherry Pitt in St. Paul; Monie’s Bar in Maple Plain; Hawks Sports Bar & Grill in Monticello; then four of the men were arrested as they allegedly cased JJ’s Clubhouse in Golden Valley in February 2024.

Not every burglary resulted in stolen money, but the charges state that many did, including 11 that each netted more than $10,000 in cash.

A special agent with Alcohol and Gambling Enforcement in the Minnesota Department of Public Safety led the investigation into the criminal enterprise. But local law enforcement officials were the first point of contact for the crimes and many of the men had already been charged individually for specific burglaries. Police interrogations, crime scene investigations, surveillance footage and search warrants for banks, houses, phones, cars and social media accounts were used to build the racketeering case.

Charged were Sean Fikes, 48, of Minneapolis; Arron Scott King, 50, and his son, Arron Scott King Jr., 26, of St. Paul; Jawan Jackson, 34, of Hugo; Dale Massie, 50, of St. Paul; Emondre Morrison, 28, of West St. Paul; Tyler Paananen-Berneche, 31, of Newport; and Cory Rosillo, 54, of Mankato.

Each man faces one charge of racketeering. None have attorneys listed for this case. They all have criminal records, some dating back decades, and everyone except Jackson has a previous conviction for felony burglary.

King Sr. was named as the orchestrator of the scheme, which allegedly flowed through his home on Arbor Street in St. Paul. Another suspect in the crimes told investigators that King Jr. would surveil locations and there were detailed instructions on where the safes were and how long they had to get in and out before police arrived after an alarm was triggered.

King Sr. has previous felony convictions for first-degree DWI, first-degree burglary, second-degree burglary, theft and aiding and abetting burglary. He was one of the four men arrested in February 2024 near JJ’s Clubhouse and charged with second-degree burglary.

That case was later dismissed by the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office because King Sr. had been sentenced to 29 months in prison in a separate burglary case out of Washington County on Oct. 8. He was placed on supervised release on Jan. 27. Soon after, the charges say, a new string of burglaries began.

A search of King Sr.’s bank account showed multiple deposits of thousands of dollars in cash in the wake of the alleged crimes.

The charges state that while these burglaries spanned a year, the “pattern of criminal activity goes back several years” and involves more suspects than the eight who were charged.

Paananen-Berneche and Rosillo are currently serving sentences with the Minnesota Department of Corrections and were set to be released on supervision later this year. Warrants have been issued for the other six defendants.