WCCO EYE4 LOGO WCCO Radio

Latest News

Jury Finds Chanhassen Man Guilty Of Kidnapping

View Comments
(credit: Jupiter Images)

(credit: Jupiter Images)

Today's Most Popular Video
Archer From Minn. Aiming For Olympic Gold Black Forest Inn Hosting 'Spargelfest' Fishing Offers Comfort To Boy With Lymphoma Bartender Charged After Intoxicated Man, 20, Drowned Mpls Police Name Officer Driving SUV In Fatal Uptown Crash

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) – A 57-year-old Chanhassen man was found guilty by a Carver County jury of kidnapping on Tuesday in connection with a July 25 incident involving a female victim.

Lawrence Dean Veltkamp was convicted of felony kidnapping and also a gross misdemeanor of domestic assault, but was found not guilty of felony false imprisonment.

The incident stems back to the spring of 2009, when Veltkamp hired an adult woman to do work and household chores at his home on 6724 Lotus Trail in Chanhassen. In exchange for the work, Veltkamp gave her free room and board.

The woman has a history of alcoholism, and when she would go on a binge he would “bounce” her by taking her to a location away from his home and she would have to find her own way back.

On July 25, 2010, in response to another binge by the victim, Veltkamp wrapped the woman, who was half naked and barefoot at the time, with a rope into a bundle so he could carry her down the stairs. He put her into the back of his Chevy Blazer and held her head down so she couldn’t see where she was going.

He drove about 12 miles to a rural tree farm in Laketown Township, threw a man’s shirt to her and took his rope back. He said “I would not waste this good rope on you.”

Veltkamp then went grocery shopping while she struggled throw a wooded area to get to a nearby home. There, homeowners gave her help and notified the Carver County Sheriff’s Office. The victim suffered rope burns to her neck, wrists and ankles.

Veltkamp will be sentenced on Dec. 17. Guidelines call for a range of 41 to 57 months in prison for the crime.

View Comments
Listen Live!

Mobile Weather Watcher

Follow CBS Minnesota

Like us on foursquare
wccoradio podcastbanner3 WCCO Radio

Meet WCCO-TV’s Anchors

Amelia Santaniello Frank Vascellaro Chris Shaffer Mark Rosen

TV Schedule

Full Program Grid
7:00 PM Elementary
8:00 PM Criminal Minds
9:00 PM 48 Hours
10:00 PM WCCO 4 News at Ten
10:35 PM Storm Stories
11:05 PM Life to the Max
11:35 PM CSI: Miami