Rockwell man accused of defrauding grocery store self-checkout stations back in jail on pre-trial violation
MASON CITY — A Rockwell man accused of committing fraud multiple times at local grocery store self-checkout stations is back in jail after allegedly violating the terms of his pre-trial release.
A criminal complaint accused 28-year-old Blake Braun of taking groceries to a self-checkout station, but instead of scanning the groceries, he’d mostly scan a barcode in his hand for a product worth only 36 cents. Braun is accused of doing this 16 different times at the Mason City HyVee East location and 20 different times across town at HyVee West. The complaint stated the loss from both stores totaled over $3500.
Braun was charged with ongoing criminal conduct, a Class B felony punishable by up to 25 years in prison, as well as two counts of second-degree theft, each a Class D felony.
Braun was due in court Tuesday for his arraignment hearing after being released under the supervision of the Iowa Department of Correctional Services, but a warrant was issued for his arrest on January 9th after a pre-trial violation report was filed, stating that he failed to keep appointments with his probation officer and failed to submit to drug testing.
Braun was arrested late Sunday night after being pulled over in Mason City for driving while barred. He was booked into the Cerro Gordo County Jail late and is being held on a total of $47,000 cash-only bond.
