Former Dodge Center man pleads guilty, sentenced to probation following 2021 police standoff

Anne Halliwell

Photo illustration: gavel[MGN]

(ABC 6 News) – A former Dodge Center resident involved in a standoff with police in 2021 pleaded guilty to 5th-degree assault and immediately sentenced to one year of probation Wednesday, Sept. 6.

John Martin Lentz, 67, will have that probation transferred from Dodge County to Wadena County, where he now resides, according to Minnesota Court Records.

Additional charges of domestic assault by strangulation and terroristic threats were dismissed at sentencing.

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(ABC 6 News) – John Martin Lentz will stand trial on assault and terroristic threat charges after a standoff with Dodge County law enforcement in Nov. 2021.

The 66-year-old Wadena resident’s pretrial is scheduled for a pretrial March 8, 2023 with a jury trial March 13.

According to court documents, Lentz allegedly assaulted a roommate and threatened to shoot police if they arrived after a family member tried to convince him to go to St. Marys to be evaluated for mental illness.

Neighboring homes were evacuated, as was Triton Public School.

According to court documents, Judge Jodi Williamson ordered a competency evaluation following proceedings which suggested Lentz may not be capable of understanding court proceedings and participating in his own defense.

On Dec. 19, 2022, Williamson ruled that Lentz’ mental illness is in remission, and should not prevent him from cooperating with his defense.

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(ABC 6 News) – A Dodge Center man will be evaluated for competency in court following a Dodge County hearing Monday, July 11.

John Martin Lentz faces charges of domestic assault, strangulation, and making terroristic threats after a standoff in November 2021.

Lentz is currently not in custody, and resides in his own home, according to the order for evaluation.

Another hearing is scheduled for September 7, 2022.