Fosston man pleads guilty in Bemidji armed robbery

BEMIDJI -- A Fosston man has plead guilty in Beltrami County Court to his part in an armed robbery in Bemidji in March.

Riley William Burns, 18, Fosston, entered a guilty plea June 23. Burns was arrested along with Michael Todd Fineday Jr., 19, of Bemidji after the pair forced their way into a Bemidji home and demanded to know from the people living there the whereabouts of a person they believed to have money and marijuana. Both men are charged with first-degree burglary and first-degree aggravated robbery. Each charge carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $35,000 fine.

A male victim was assaulted during the altercation and a handgun was pointed at the victims before Fineday and Burns left the residence with an Xbox, video games, electronics, a cellphone and a pair of shoes in a pillow case. According to court documents, Burns handed the gun to Fineday during the robbery and the gun was later discarded in the snow when they fled the scene. Deputies located the handgun.

Burns is scheduled for sentencing on Aug. 4. Fineday plead guilty June 10 and will be sentenced July 21.