Stearns County Deputies Arrest Man Who Escaped Custody in North Dakota

STEARNS COUNTY - A Stearns County Sheriff's deputy arrested a man after finding he escaped police custody in North Dakota and for allegedly driving a stolen vehicle.

The deputy made a traffic stop for a car traveling 91 mph east on I-94, near Highway 237, at about 4:30 a.m. on Saturday.

The man driving the car gave a fake name and date of birth of a person with a misdemeanor warrant in Clay County, Minnesota.

During the stop, the deputy found a piece of paper in the driver's wallet with the name John Gbortu, a 19-year-old from Fargo. Gbortu had an active warrant from Cass County, North Dakota for escaping from police custody.

The deputy also found the car was stolen from Fargo last week (1/19). Stearns County Jail officers contacted the North Dakota Penitentiary to get a photo of Gbortu and confirmed his identity.

Gbortu faces numerous charges in Stearns County and extradition back to North Dakota on the warrant.