An Albert Lea Level 3 offender who allegedly illegally entered a home last month pleaded not guilty Thursday in Freeborn County District Court.

Jabar Pedro Morarend, 45, is charged with first-degree burglary.

Court documents state Morarend was charged after officers responded at approximately 6:30 a.m. Jan. 26 to a report of a suspicious person and possible burglary in Freeborn County.

Dresser doors in a bedroom were all partially opened, and the homeowner said she did not leave them that way.

Officers reportedly followed footprints from the house toward Minnesota Highway 13, finding an undershirt next to the tracks.

Court documents state the officers were led to a residence and were given permission by the homeowner to go inside.

Morarend was allegedly found in the basement of the residence behind a bedsheet hanging from steps, sitting next to a washing machine.

Tennis shoes behind the washing machine matched the prints in the snow.

A settlement conference is scheduled March 14, and a jury trial is scheduled to start April 10, if the case has not been settled by then.

In a separate file, Morarend was sentenced to one year and one month in prison Monday after admitting to probation violations in two files. He was given credit for 158 days already served in the Freeborn County jail for violating his probation for state lottery fraud. He was placed on probation for up to 10 years on that file in November after he pleaded guilty in October to the charge.

In the other file, Morarend was given credit for 153 days served for violating probation after he was placed on probation for up to four years in November after pleading guilty in October to fleeing a peace officer in a motor vehicle.

As of Friday afternoon, Morarend was in custody in Freeborn County.