Sauk Rapids Man Charged Charged in St. Cloud Mobile Home Attack
FOLEY -- A Sauk Rapids man has been charged with seven felonies after an assault involving a gun at a St. Cloud mobile home park Tuesday night.
Thirty-seven-year-old Aaron Moreno is charged with 1st-degree aggravated robbery, possession of a stolen gun, unlawful possession of a firearm, 2nd-degree assault, threats of violence and two counts of 1st-degree burglary.
A Benton County judge has set bail for Moreno at $500,000 without conditions and $300,000 with conditions.
The charges stem from a report of shots fired at the Sherwood Manor Mobile Home Park where the homeowner was pistol-whipped and robbed.
Court records show Moreno was ultimately found across Highway 10 at the Americanna Inn after additional shots were reported. He was tased and taken to the Benton County Jail.
Police say they recovered a stolen 9mm handgun on Moreno when it fell out of his sweatshirt pocket.
Court records show a woman went to visit the victim when she saw a man she didn't know standing on the front porch. When she entered, Moreno allegedly entered behind her without permission. That's when the witness said Moreno pulled out a gun, pointed it at the homeowner and hit him with the butt of the gun across the forehead. Moreno allegedly ordered the man to empty all of his pockets and fired at least one shot while inside the home. Moreno then left and records indicate he fired several more shots into the home from outside. No one was hit.
Police located Moreno in the hallway of the motel and ordered him to stop, but police say Moreno ran. Officers were able to tase Moreno and take him into custody.
The victim suffered a fractured skull in the attack and sustained a three-inch gash to his head which required surgery.
Moreno has a lengthy criminal history including several threats convictions, burglary, drugs and a federal conviction of being a felon in possession of a gun in 2011. His next court appearance has not yet been set.