McKenzie County Farmer

07/23/2025

CONVICTED MCKENZIE COUNTY S*X OFFENDER FACING NEW CHARGES

Editor’s Note: This story contains graphic content that may be disturbing to some readers. Discretion is advised.

20 year-old Kenneth Warren of Watford City, was charged with 20 new counts of Possession of certain materials prohibited on July 18, 2025.

Undercover Operation

According to documents filed with the Northwest Judicial District, the McKenzie County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO) arrested Warren on Feb. 5, 2025, for attempting to lure a 12 year-old girl following an undercover operation.

Through that operation, Warren engaged in multiple conversations via social media with whom he believed to be a 12 year-old female. Warren informed the female that he wanted to engage in sexual acts.

During conversations, Warren described in detail certain sexual acts that he wanted to perform on what he believed to be the 12 year-old, and agreed to meet at a Watford City gas station where he was apprehended.

Upon interviewing Warren he admitted to law enforcement that he had the following social media accounts that he did not disclose to the sexual offender registry: Snapchat, Facebook and Telegram. He also admitted to using a “burner” phone that he believed to have over 400 CSAM (Child Sexual Abuse Material) files on. Warren told law enforcement that he used a service called “chatiw” to obtain the CSAM.

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07/23/2025

Perfect Day to stop by this Lemonade stand on Main Street!

07/18/2025

Come get some Lemonade and Cookies from A&A Lemonade Stand. They are on Main Street outside of the McKenzie County Farmer!!

07/17/2025

McKenzie Health hosted a Ribbon-Cutting event this afternoon at its new Pediatric Physical, Speech & Occupational Therapy Clinic.

Representatives from Chord Energy were honored for their sponsorship of, and support in the creation of the new Fun Factory Sensory Gym within the new clinic.

Look for the full story in next week's edition!

06/20/2025

06/02/2025

NEW DETAILS EMERGE ON OFFICER-INVOLVED SHOOTING

Patrice Bumstead
Farmer Editor

The McKenzie County Sheriff's Office (MCSO) has released new details surrounding the officer-involved shooting that occurred early this morning.

According to the MCSO statement issued around 2:30 p.m., deputies responded to a call at 12:52 a.m., of a suicidal male at a residence on Interstate Avenue N., in East Fairview. The reporting party stated there were other people present as well.

Upon arrival, deputies safely evacuated the other parties from the residence. The MCSO stated that deputies attempted to make contact with the male subject, later identified as 31 year-old Christopher Knels, through multiple means and were unsuccessful. The MCSO proceeded to contact the Williams County Sheriff's Office Negotiation Task Force to assist in de-escalation efforts. It was reported that the Negotiation Task Force was able to reach Knels via telephone.

According to the MCSO statement, during the incident, Knels exited the residence and began pointing a firearm in the immediate direction of law enforcement. A MCSO deputy fired shots striking Knels several times before he retreated back into the residence.

Deputies made entry into the residence, located Knels and immediately began providing medical aid until EMS arrived on scene. Knels was transported by ambulance to Sidney Health Center where he was pronounced deceased.

A firearm was located and recovered in close proximity to Knels. The incident is under an independent investigation by the North Dakota Bureau of Criminal Investigation to ensure full transparency and accountability. The deputy involved remains on paid administrative assignment pending the outcome of the investigation.

"We are deeply saddened by the events that unfolded this morning, resulting in the loss of life. This is a tragic situation for everyone involved... our thoughts are with the family of the deceased, as well as our deputies and the community," MCSO stated.

06/02/2025

Officer involved shooting
June 2, 2025
Patrice Bumstead, Farmer Editor

The McKenzie County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO) reported that an officer-involved shooting occurred this morning after deputies responded to a call at approximately 12:52 a.m.

The MCSO has requested assistance from the North Dakota Bureau of Criminal Investigation.

The deputy involved in the shooting has been placed on paid administrative leave per agency policy, pending the outcome of the investigation.



No other details have been provided, The Farmer has reached out to the MCSO and will provide updates as they become available.

05/20/2025

Wolves baseball brings home a win

By Danielle Brothers
Special to The Farmer

Watford City 16, Sidney 6
Paco Baldenegro collected three hits in four at bats, as the Wolves defeated Sidney 16-6 last Tuesday. Baldenegro singled in the second inning, singled in the first inning, and singled in the fourth inning.
The Wolves scored nine runs in the fifth inning on the way to victory. Braylen Tolbert singled, scoring one run; an error scored one run. Hunter Cowan singled, scoring one run, a dropped third strike scored one run. Harper Moberg singled, scoring one run, a steal of home scored one run, and another steal at home scored one run.

The Wolves opened the scoring in the bottom of the first with three singles.

The Wolves extended their early lead with three runs in the bottom of the second thanks to RBI singles by Carter Branstrom and Baldenegro.
Landon Ledahl led things off on the mound for the Wolves. He surrendered two hits and two runs (zero earned) over three innings, striking out three and walking one. Blake Johnson stepped on the mound first for Sidney. The pitcher surrendered 13 hits and 15 runs (12 earned) over four innings, striking out five and walking four. Cowan appeared in relief for the Wolves.

The Wolves accumulated 15 hits in the game. Branstrom, Moberg, and Leahy each collected multiple hits for the Wolves. Baldenegro, Moberg, Trysten Devries, and Leahy each stole multiple bases for the Wolves. The Wolves ran wild on the base paths, piling up 15 stolen bases for the game.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H E
WC 3 3 0 1 9 X X 16 15 5
SDNY 0 0 2 3 1 X X 6 3 5

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05/20/2025

Wolves Boys Track sends four to State Meet

Guest Columnist: David Gumke

2025 Boys Region Track Results
It was a great day for the Wolves. We saw many improvements in times and marks. The guys rose to the occasion and were ready to compete.

Xavier McGorman got us started off by placing fourth in the high jump with a clearance of 6’0”, which qualified him for the state meet next week. At the region meet you can still qualify by mark or time and can also qualify by placing in the top six. I am very excited for Xavier. He is a very good high jumper and works hard on his technique.

The 4x800 relay got our day on the track off to a good start by placing seventh and running a very good time in the event. The team of Kyle Best, Jeremiah Velasquez, Judah Mitchell, and Dehico Bocanegra Tovar all ran personal best splits in the race to get us to within ten seconds of state qualifying by time and about six seconds of qualifying by placing. I was very proud of how they stepped up and didn’t hold anything back in that race.

James Odenbach placed 8th in the pole vault with a new PR of 12’0”. He was able to attempt the qualifying mark of 12’6”, but didn’t quite get it. He has improved his personal best by six inches in each of the last three meets.

Thaydan Arnold came close in the discus, missing qualifying by two feet one inch with his throw of 142’11”.

Dehico Bocanegra Tovar had an unbelievable day running on the track. He set new personal bests in both the 1600 and 800, improving his standing for the state meet next week. He placed sixth in the 800 while breaking two minutes with a time of 1:59.40. He also ran very good legs on both relays he was on, nearly qualifying both of those.

The 4x400 relay team of Kyle Best, James Odenbach, Judah Mitchell, and Dehico Bocanegra Tovar were heartbroken as they missed qualifying by time by about twenty-nine hundredths of a second.

The boys team placed tenth in the WDA out of 12 teams. Our state qualifiers include: Dehico Bocanegra Tovar in the 800-, 1600-, and 3200-meter races; Thaydan Arnold in the shot put; Xavier McGorman in the high jump; and Chase Cutshall in the long jump.

The state meet runs Thursday through Saturday May 22-24 at the Bismarck Community Bowl on the BSC Campus.

wolves-boys-track-sends-four-to-state-meet
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05/20/2025

Nine Wolves Girls Track members headed to State

Guest Columnist: Derek Roemmich

2025 Girls Region Track Results
The Watford City Girls team had a great day on Saturday, May 17. There were many PR set this day and we competed well. To start off the meet, we had our 4x800m Relay team take 7th place (consisting of Annabelle Bohn, Brooklyn Spotted Bear, Lola Olson, Kaite Olson). At a region meet, the top six placers qualify to compete at the state meet. Our 4x800m Relay team ran their fastest, and barely missed placing 6th place by about a two seconds. Our 4x100m Relay (consisting of Arlene Salas, Madalynn Greenhaw, Darbie Moberg, Salil Shoemaker) and 4x200m Relay (consisting of Arlene Salas, Paige Schuster, Salil Shoemaker, Fallon Sampsel) both barely missed placing 8th by less than a second. These two relay teams ran their best times all year too.

I am excited seeing all the progress we have made and not just qualifying by time with these relays but also getting faster and making gains on lowering the times to be able to compete at state and hopefully place.

Paige Schuster and Fallon Sampsel stepped up their day by placing top six in their 400m open races. This race came down to the finish for the whole competition. Fallon taking 3rd and Paige taking 5th. The difference in Time from the 1st place finisher and the 5th place finisher was 0.32 seconds. That tells you how close these five girls were when they finished.

Our best placing of the day goes to the 4x400m Relay team who dropped 6 seconds from their best time coming in and placing 2nd at the Region meet just one second behind taking first. This team consists of Paige Schuster, Lauren Melland, Darbie Moberg, Fallon Sampsel. The girl’s team took 10th out of 12 teams at Regionals.

I am so proud of all the girls this season improving their marks. They have put in the hard work and we have been fortunate enough to qualify nine girls this year.

This year’s state qualifiers are: Fallon Sampsel in the 400m, 800m, 4x200mR, and 4x400mR; Paige Schuster in the 400m, 4x200mR, and 4x400mR; Darbie Moberg in the 4x100mR, 4x200mR, and 4x400mR; Salil Shoemaker in the Shot Put, 4x100mR, and 4x200mR; Arlene Salas in the 4x100mR and 4x200mR; Madalynn Greenhaw in the 4x100 and 4x200; Lauren Melland in the 4x200 and 4x400; Eli Vega in the 4x200 and Brooke Kulseth in the 4x100.

The state meet runs Thursday through Saturday, May 22-24, at the Bismarck Community Bowl on the BSC Campus.

nine-wolves-girls-track-members-headed-to-state
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05/20/2025

Former WCHS wrestler named as Head Coach

Bradley Foss
Guest Columnist

McKenzie County Public School District No. 1 (MCPSD1) announced the appointment of Jade Hepper as the new Head Girls Wrestling Coach at Watford City High School.

Coach Hepper brings with him a life-long connection to Wolves wrestling and a deep commitment to student growth, athletic development, and community pride. As a Watford City native and former Wolves wrestler, Coach Hepper has been involved with the wrestling program since kindergarten. His experience as a student-athlete, combined with a strong understanding of the values wrestling instills, such as discipline, resilience, and teamwork, make him a strong addition to our coaching staff.

“We are excited to see Coach Hepper step into this leadership role and continue the tradition of excellence in Watford City wrestling,” said Activities Director, Brad Foss. “His passion for the sport and for our students aligns with the district’s mission to empower every student to grow academically, socially, and personally.” Coach Hepper was a decorated high school wrestler, placing at the state tournament all four years, earning two regional championships, and achieving recognition in several school records. He now turns his focus to mentoring and inspiring the next generation of athletes - particularly young women looking to succeed in a growing sport.

In reflecting on his new role, Coach Hepper shared that his greatest motivation comes from his late brother, Coy, a highly respected athlete within the wrestling community. “There’s no place I feel closer to Coy than when I walk into that room and lace up my shoes,” Hepper said. “I want to help our wrestlers chase their goals just as we did.”

Looking ahead, Coach Hepper’s priorities include recruiting new participants, building a competitive roster, and strengthening the culture of Watford City wrestling. He also draws inspiration from the district’s rich history, noting that Watford City holds the distinction of producing more state champions than any other town in North Dakota and remains home to legendary coach Frank Fish.

Coach Hepper will work alongside Head Boys Wrestling Coach Adam Greenhaw, who will continue in his role leading the boys program. Together, they will help foster a unified and dynamic wrestling community that reflects the district’s core values.

MCPSD1 welcomes Coach Hepper to his new position and looks forward to the continued growth and success of our girls wrestling program under his leadership.

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05/20/2025

Local inmate violates protection order

By Danielle Brothers
Special to The Farmer

Craig Brian Chavez is facing a Class C Felony charge for violation of a domestic violence protection order- second offense after his arrest.

According to documents filed with Northwest Judicial District the Watford City Police Department was contacted on April 27, of a report of a protection order violation from corrections in regard to Craig Chavez.

Chavez, who is an inmate at the McKenzie County Correctional Center for eight Class C Felony charges for aggravated assault-adult victim, terrorizing-adult victim, terrorizing-child victim, terrorizing-adult victim, reckless endangerment-extreme indifference-domestic violence, felonious restraint-restrains-adult victim, preventing arrest-felony, interference with telephone during emergency call-intentional in March, 2025, had been speaking with a friend named Tim Darland via reliance, which is the system for inmates used for texting and calling people outside the facility.

Officers were informed that corrections blocked Darland’s number due to relaying messages to Jane Doe who is a protected party of an active domestic violence protection order against Chavez.
Officers were informed that the mother of Jane Doe works at the correctional facility and had a screen shot of a message from Facebook messenger, which was a message from Chavez to Jane Doe via third party. The message was from Darland on April 26, 2025, at 5:41 p.m. and stated “Hey, I just wanted to let you know Craig is really sorry. He wants to be the best man he can be and turn things around for you and the kids. He loves you and misses his family.”

Upon speaking with Doe she corroborated this information. An interview was conducted with Chavez and he stated that he didn’t tell anyone or Darland specifically to relay a message to Jane Doe for him. Officers reviewed text messages and call logs between Chavez and Darland. Many conversations where Chavez had stated to Darland that he needed that favor to be done for him. During a phone conversation on March 6, Chavez stated “Tim I’d hate to ask or put you in a position but I really need someone to get a message and just say hey look he knows he messed up, he’s extremely sorry and just wants the best for you guys no matter what happens and he forgives you and hopes you can find forgiveness in him” “and that it” “I just wanted to let her know I forgive her” “there’s no way I can tell her.” Chavez then continued “if someone could facilitate that, that be awesome.” Tim Darland asked if that could get Chavez in trouble to which he stated “yeah if I did it, but I’m not going to contact her” then further stated “I can’t really tell you what to do, you know what I’m saying, but it would help the situation a little bit.”

On March 11, during a phone call between Chavez and Darland. Chavez stated “remember I asked you to do me that favor a couple of weeks ago? I really need you to do that.” They continued the conversation and Darland talked about how he doesn’t have the number for Jane Doe and then he mentioned that he could send the message over messenger. Chavez replied “I’ll talked to you and then you write it down and then sent it.”

On March 24, during a phone conversation between Chavez and Darland, where Darland stated “You told me to apologize” “you told me to forgive her” and spoke about the “favor” again. Chavez had stated for Darland to send the message in “maybe a month” then mentioned some words he wanted in the message “I’m sorry and forgive me and I’ll never drink again” “forgive me and I’m truly sorry.”
On April 24, during a phone conversation between Chavez and Darland, Chavez stated “I really need you to do that favor” “I want my family back.” On April 26, there was a text conversation between them where Chavez stated “Will you please do that favor for me?” Darland replied “ok” and then “done” which was the exact same day which the message on facebook messenger was sent to Jane Doe from Tim Darland.

On April 27, during a phone conversation between Chavez and Frank Chavez stated “they blocked one of my friends numbers for reaching out to Jane Doe and I don’t want to get into any more trouble.”
There is an active protection order between Jane Doe and Chavez since March 17, 2025, which states Chavez is prohibited from communicating with any protected party aka Jane Doe by any electronic means or having messages delivered to any protected party through anyone other than an attorney or a law enforcement officer.

Chavez’s bond was set as an appearance bond and his Preliminary Hearing is set for July 17, 2025.
The Farmer will continue its coverage of this case and report detailed updates as they become available.

local-inmate-violates-protection-order
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