No jail time for Roseville man who threatened neighbors over 'Black Lives Matter' signs

Ava Kian, Pioneer Press, St. Paul, Minn.
·2 min read

Jul. 21—A Roseville man who threatened neighbors for posting racially-inclusive signs in their yards has avoided jail time under a plea agreement with Ramsey County prosecutors.

Kevin Jay Karjalahti, 50, was sentenced Tuesday to two years of probation and will be required to participate in a men's group and restorative justice programs. He received a stay of adjudication, which means his felony conviction for terroristic threats will be removed from his record if he complies with the terms of his sentence.

Between May 29 and June 1, 2020, soon after George Floyd was killed by a Minneapolis police officer, Karjalahti left threatening notes at four different neighbors' homes, according to the criminal complaint. The notes threatened to burn down homes if the residents continued displaying lawn signs that read "Black Lives Matter" or "All Are Welcome Here."

"I found a note on my car in the driveway stating 'Your house burns next.' Our yard sign that read 'All Are Welcome Here' was destroyed," one of the victims, Bryan Cole, said at sentencing. "It was a truly terrifying moment."

Investigators identified Karjalahti as a suspect by matching his fingerprints to those left on the notes. His wife admitted he was responsible, telling police he was frustrated by the civil unrest and property damage that followed Floyd's killing.

Karjalahti apologized in court Tuesday.

"It was something that was during probably the most traumatic time I think I've ever experienced in my life, and I deeply regret it. And I say that to all the victims. That's not what I'm about. It was a rash decision during the time of the violence that I just wanted nothing more than just all of it to stop," he said.

As part of the sentence, Karjalahti must have no contact with his victims.

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