Kenyon man pleads not guilty to conspiracy to commit murder

A Kenyon man pleaded not guilty Tuesday in Rice County District Court to one count of conspiracy to commit first-degree murder.

Jesse Allen Helgeson, 26, was being held in Rice County Jail in lieu of $500,000 bail.

According to a court complaint filed May 16, Helgeson asked an acquaintance over text message to kill Helgeson’s ex-girlfriend’s new boyfriend.

Helgeson told the acquaintance that he wanted the man to be “not breathin again soon,” the complaint says.

After receiving the text messages, the acquaintance showed them to the Kenyon Police Department.

An undercover police officer then posed as the acquaintance and continued working out the details of the deal with Helgeson. A meeting was set up for May 14 at the Big Steer, a truck stop near Northfield, in order for Helgeson to pay the undercover officer.

After Helgeson arrived, officers arrested him. He had brought a child with him to the meeting; the child was placed in protective custody, the complaint said.

A jury trial is scheduled to begin Sept. 10.

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