Richfield Woman Charged with Bringing Switchblade into Courthouse

A Richfield woman has been charged with possession of a dangerous weapon in a courthouse after authorities say she brought a switchblade into the Dakota County Courthouse in Hastings in July 2011.

Lisa Kaye Jefferson, 48, faces a felony charge in the case, with a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $10,000 fine.

According to the criminal complaint, a Dakota County sheriff’s deputy was on duty at the courthouse metal detector on July 20 when Jefferson entered the building and went through the detector.

When the deputy sent Jefferson’s purse through the X-ray machine, she noticed a rectangular black object on the screen, which indicates dense metal.

The deputy searched Jefferson’s purse, looking for the object. While she was searching, Jefferson repeatedly asked what she was looking for, and said several times that she had no weapons.

After the deputy sent Jefferson’s purse through the machine two more times, she found a switchblade in the lining of the bottom part of Jefferson’s makeup bag, the complaint said.

The deputy confiscated the knife and took Jefferson into custody. Jefferson's criminal history includes a conviction in 1992 for carrying a pistol without a permit in Hennepin County.

Jefferson is scheduled to make a first appearance on the latest charge Oct. 17, 2011 in the Hastings courthouse.