Woman faces coercion charge in animal rescue

Published 10:20 am Monday, March 17, 2014

MINNEAPOLIS — A St. Louis Park woman could face prison time for the way she tried to rescue some animals she thought were being mistreated.

Sixty-year-old Janice Karpel is reportedly facing a rare charge of felony coercion. It’s for allegedly threatening the animals’ owners with jail time if they didn’t surrender the animals to her.

The 60-year-old faces up to five years in prison and a $10,000 fine if convicted of either felony charge in two cases against her in Isanti County.

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Both cases are scheduled for court on March 28. Karpel is also charged with trespassing and theft, both gross misdemeanors.

Her attorney Joe Friedberg said she was just trying to save the animals lives.