St. Cloud Man Accused of Pulling Gun While Trying to Collect on a Debt

ST. CLOUD -- Criminal charges have been filed against a St. Cloud man after he allegedly entered a north St. Cloud home, pointed a gun at the residents inside and demanded money for a debt.

St. Cloud Police were called to the 300 block of 20th Avenue North at about 7:00 p.m. Saturday on a gun complaint.

Two residents and a third person in the home say 23-year-old Ben Jackson entered without permission, demanded payment, racked a shell into the chamber of what they believed to be a 9mm handgun, and pointed it at the victims. Jackson then left the scene without taking anything.

Police say one of the victims admitted owing Jackson money.

A short time later, officers saw Jackson traveling in a car and made a traffic stop. Jackson's girlfriend was driving and told police he had left their apartment for a short time and then returned to go get food.

According to the criminal complaint, Jackson admitted he had gone to the home because the person who owed him money stopped responding to text messages. He also said he knocked on the door before entering like he always had, and was threatened with a pipe. That's when Jackson said he pulled out an air-soft gun.

Jackson said he left the scene and discarded the replica handgun.

Neither Jackson nor his girlfriend said they own a gun. A police search of the apartment turned up 9mm ammunition and a gun clip. Jackson told police he had found the ammunition.

Jackson is charged with two counts of first-degree burglary involving a weapon and two counts of second-degree assault with a weapon. His next court date is scheduled for April 5th.