Man accused of cutting off tracking bracelet

 

By Tyler Julson

A high-risk predatory offender accused of cutting off his ankle bracelet and running from a Minnesota Department of Corrections agent in November pleaded not guilty Thursday in Freeborn County District Court.

Cody Padraic Trott, 27, is charged with felony escaping from custody.

According to court documents, Trott was charged after cutting off his electronic monitoring bracelet and running from an agent who was visiting his home on Nov. 9 in Albert Lea.

Trott was arrested three days later and then taken to Minnesota Correctional Facility in Stillwater.

At the time of the incident, Trott, who is classified as a Level 3 offender, had just finished a four-year prison sentence for third-degree criminal sexual conduct. He was on supervised release and required to wear the tracking bracelet.

A jury trial on the escape charge is scheduled to begin Oct. 13 if a settlement has not been reached by that time.

Trott is being held at the Minnesota Sex Offender Program in Moose Lake as officials are looking to civilly commit him as a high-risk predatory offender. That commitment hearing is slated to begin Aug. 1.

Escaping from custody carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison and a $10,000 fine.