'Vega? Who's Vega?' Predatory Offender Secretly Stayed in Stillwater, Charges Say

A man required to register as a predatory offender moved into a Stillwater apartment without telling authorities, according to charges filed Oct. 16 by Washington County prosecutors. 

Phillip Michael Vega, 40, was on file with the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA) as living in St. Paul. But instead, a criminal complaint against Vega claims, he was living at his girlfriend's apartment in the 1300 block of South Greeley Street in Stillwater. 

Stillwater police said in the complaint that Vega gave the Greeley Street address to the Stillwater restaurant where he worked until being fired recently. Investigators saw his car at the Greeley Street address "on multiple occasions" from Oct. 1–15, the complaint says. 

Police arrived at the apartment on Oct. 15 at about 9:30 a.m. with a search warrant and found Vega in bed, according to the complaint. The narrative continues: 

"When officers stated, 'Vega, show us your hands' defendant replied, 'Vega, Who's Vega?' When asked if he was trying to say he was not Phillip Vega defendant stated, 'I'm not saying that.' Defendant argued that he should not have to register and he had no idea why he had to register. Defendant was very irate and he yelled and screamed at officers. While being led out of the apartment defendant told [his girlfriend] 'you tell them that I don't live here, remember that, remember to tell them that I don't live here.'" 

Police also found what appeared to be Vega's clothes in a closet in the apartment, the complaint said, where they also found a box of his papers. His wallet was in the dresser. 

State court records show Vega was convicted of third-degree criminal sexual conduct in 1994, along with more than a dozen other charges since. In 1998, he pleaded guilty in Washington County to providing alcohol to a minor but four criminal sexual conduct charges were dismissed. 

Vega faces two felony counts of violating registration requirements or intentionally providing false information. Each charge carries a maximum sentence, if a defendant is convicted, of five years and a $10,000 fine.