May 28—GRAND FORKS — A Grand Forks man pleaded guilty to Class A misdemeanor engaging in a riot Friday, May 24, for a September incident at the Grand Forks County Correctional Center.

Alexander Clifford Haase, 25, was sentenced to 90 days in custody with credit for 43 days served.

At 11:28 p.m. on Sept. 20, officers from the Grand Forks Police Department and Grand Forks County Sheriff’s Office were dispatched to the correctional center, according to a probable cause statement filed in the case. Inmates in Pod 3A were reportedly rioting and refusing to lock down in their cells for the night.

Staff told law enforcement the following: inmates barricaded the pod door, tied the dayroom door to the table using clothes and blankets, flooded the pod by clogging its toilets, armed themselves with makeshift weapons made from mop and broom handles, threw items, banged on windows and doors and yelled, “We ain’t locking down,” and “give us our commissary.”

Haase specifically was accused of failing to lockdown at the time of the incident, therefore engaging “in tumultuous and violent conduct,” the statement said.

When the Herald spoke with various accused inmates, they cited repeated issues with food quality, portions and late or missing commissary items as the cause.

Of the 13 inmates charged with involvement in the Sept. 20 protest, Haase was the 11th to plead guilty. One defendant, Kyle Martin Heintz,

stood trial and was found not guilty

of inciting and leading a riot in a correctional facility and criminal mischief.

* Cameron Michael Lafriniere pleaded guilty to three Class C felonies: simple assault on an officer, inciting or leading a riot in a correctional facility and terrorizing.

* Gary Lawrence Grant, Travis Lee Willson and Mitchell Dean Lajimodiere pleaded guilty to Class C felony inciting or leading a riot in a correctional facility and Class A misdemeanor wearing a mask during the comission of a criminal offense.

* Jaston Peter Blueshield, Kelly Mikul Hood, Logan Orion Riley, Takoda Richard Allery and Steven Robert Keesling pleaded guilty to Class C felony inciting or leading a riot in a correctional facility.

* James John Mayerhofer pleaded guilty to Class B misdemeanor disorderly conduct — offensive condition.

The remaining defendant, Collin Jay Parisien, was transferred to another facility and his case went inactive.