–Lawyers for an Algona teen who is scheduled to stand trial in August on 18 felony counts in Kossuth and Palo Alto counties are asking a judge to send the case to juvenile court.
Trial information filed April 23rd in Kossuth County District Court is charging 18-year-old Demetrius Heidelberg with 8 counts of Stalking Using a Technological Device, 6 counts of Stalking a Person Under 18 Years of Age, and 2 counts of Extortion. He is also facing an additional count of Stalking a Person Under 18 Years of Age and Extortion in Palo Alto County, according to trial information filed on May 5th.
On May 15th, Attorney Todd Miller filed motions in both counties to refer the case to a juvenile court.
Miller is arguing that since the alleged offenses occurred between January-March of 2024, when the defendant was 17, the cases should be moved out of an adult court. He also contends that if the defendant had been charged at the time of the alleged incidents, the matter would have been assigned to a juvenile court because he was 17 at that time.
Court records show a hearing has been scheduled for June 16th to consider the motion.
As it currently sits, Heidelberg is scheduled to have a jury trial in Palo Alto County on August 5th and in Kossuth County on August 19th.
