St. Paul man sentenced to 5 years for aiding and abetting assault on police officer

A St. Paul man was sentenced Monday to over five years(63 months) in prison for aiding and abetting second-degree assault.

30-year-old Robert Paul Braun was initially charged with one count of aiding and abetting first-degree assault against a peace officer, one count of aiding and abetting second-degree assault, two counts of aiding and abetting first-degree damage to property and one count of fleeing a peace officer on foot, according to court records.

On Sept. 18, Braun pleaded guilty to one count of aiding and abetting second-degree assault in exchange for just 63 months in prison. He has credit for 421 days already served.

Braun must also pay nearly $5,000 in restitution.

On July 21, 2022, officers from the Oakdale Police Department were called to the LA Fitness health club around 7:45 p.m. in Oakdale on a report of a theft, according to a criminal complaint.

Upon arrival, officers saw a woman who matched the suspect’s description leave LA Fitness and walk on the sidewalk. When an officer got out of his car, 29-year-old Samantha Rae Jasper began running away, the complaint stated.

Jasper ran to a parked Honda CRV that Braun was sitting in and got into the driver’s seat. The complaint added that an officer parked his squad car behind the Honda as another officer opened the Honda door and tried to get Jasper out but Jasper shifted the car into gear.

The complaint notes that the officer who opened the Honda door was afraid for his life as he figured he would either be dragged by the Honda or pinned between the Honda and the cars parked around it. The complaint adds that the officer tried to put the car into park but Jasper was moving the car back and forth.

The officer in the door of the Honda attempted to tase Jasper but it didn’t work. Braun, who was in the passenger seat, reached to keep the car in gear and pressed on the gas pedal with his hand as Jasper and the officer struggled, according to the complaint.

The door began to pin the officer at which point they retreated and avoided being hit by the Honda.

Braun then ran away.

Court records show that at the time of his arrest for this incident, Braun had 12 outstanding warrants.