Convicted Predator Heading to Trial On Charges of Stalking, Failure to Register

A Dakota County District Court Judge found sufficient probable cause in the case against Jeffrey Allen Welage to send the 29-year-old Eagan man to trial.

Welage appeared in court Tuesday afternoon for an omnibus hearing in connection with a series of felony charges including pattern of stalking conduct, stalking—second violation in 10 years and knowingly violating predatory offender registration requirements.  

On Tuesday afternoon Judge Thomas Pugh scheduled Welage's settlement conference for Feb. 1 and—if no deal is reached between attorneys on that date—a jury trial for Feb. 13.

The charges against Welage stem from —some of which were threatening—to the family of his ex-girlfriend.

According to a Dakota County criminal complaint, the basic premise of the communication was that Welage could not live without the woman.  

Sheriff’s deputies from the alleged victim’s home county in Wisconsin reportedly warned Welage three times between Sept. 29 and Oct. 11 to stop contacting the victim.  

Eagan police helped serve a restraining order against Welage on Oct. 12 from the alleged victim’s local police department and, when it proved ineffective, a nationwide arrest warrant was issued for Welage in November 2011.   

Welage's newest court appearances will also address a probation violation stemming from an April 2010 conviction on charges of knowingly violating predatory offender registration requirements. 

If he is found to have violated that condition of his probation, the ten-year registration period will start anew from the date of conviction. 

Welage was required to register as a predatory offender in his city of residence until 2011 after a 2001 conviction on charges of second-degree criminal sexual conduct with a person under 13 years old.