Judge's Forged Signature Springs Minnesota Fugitive

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) — Courtney Lynn Wait pled guilty on a fifth-degree felony drug charge in the summer of 2019. She was free while awaiting sentencing on $20,000 bail.

But instead of appearing in Stevens County Court for her sentencing on Sept. 23, Wait and her boyfriend Cole Sellner fled Minnesota.

Now, Twin Cities bounty hunter, Stew Peters is on the couple's trail.

"We've seen a lot of creative things in our days but I think this takes the cake for somebody being so bold," Peters said.

Peters, of Twin Cities Apprehension Team, says that Wait is currently wanted on six outstanding warrants issued by various Minnesota counties. Shortly after the couple fled, Wait was arrested by authorities in Louisiana and placed in the Richland Parrish jail.

That was until mid-October, when Sellner hatched a plan to set her free.

"He developed this Pope County official letterhead looking thing, writes a letter with the judge's name on the bottom of it," Peters said.

What he created was a fraudulent hold lift release, complete with a forged signature of Stevens County District Court Judge Charles Glasrud.

Sellner somehow managed to get a friend in Minnesota to fax it to the Louisiana jail from a Park Rapids grocery store.

Despite several spelling and grammatical errors, the fake letter worked and Wait was released.

"Somehow it was good enough for the Parish in Louisiana and they released her from custody," Peters said.

Unless she's returned, the bail bond firm will be out $20,000 Peters is motivated by earning a portion of that, as well as returning a fugitive to justice.

"I'm 100% confident we're going to track her down. Her days of running from law enforcement are coming to a swift end," Peters said.

The Twin Cities Apprehension Team is offering a $1,000 reward.

Anyone with information on Wait and Sellner's whereabouts is asked to call (612) 254-7400. TCAT promises that all tipsters will remain anonymous.