Complaint: Accused St. Michael Store Owner Owes $1 Million

The Dayton, MN man owes more than $1 million to state and federal agencies, according to a criminal complaint filed in Wright County District Court last week. 

Albert J. Hartinger, 74, has been charged with second-degree arson for attempting to burn down the he has owned for decades, as Patch reported earlier this week. 

Police began began their investigation of Hartinger just a few days after the business owner reported a robbery and attempted arson in his liquor store that Hartinger said happened "between Feb. 22 and 25." 

According to the criminal complaint: 

Police responded to a call to Highway 101 Liquor Feb. 26, 2012 when Hartinger said someone had broken in and tried to burn down the store. Hartinger said he had been notified about the break-in by his daughter, a St. Michael resident, who in turn had been told about the incident by Dennis Sack, a family friend. 

Wright County deputies interviewed Sack, who said he was keeping an eye on Hartinger, and drove to the store around noon on Feb. 25. While there, Sack noticed the back door had been opened by a pry bar, and was still about 8 to 10 inches ajar. He observed a shoe impression in the shape of a boot in the snow. After walking inside, he could smell smoke damage and saw evidence of a fire inside the building. 

On March 1, Fire Marshal Casey Stotts joined Wright County detectives and Hartinger in the store, and quickly determined the fire was intentional. It was then Hartinger told authorities the store was closed because he owed back taxes. He said someone was trying to buy the property, but the sale had not come through. He admitted he owed more than two weeks in proprty taxes and said his insurance limits were $300,000 for the building and $50,000 for inventory.

Earlier that week, however, detectives had talked with Scott Torgerson of an indepenent contractor hired by Hartinger's insurance company. Torgeson stated he was told Hartinger had $472,000 in coverage for the building and $100,000 coverage for inventory.

Torgerson also told investigators the IRS and state both have liens on the property.

Investigators from Wright County did determine Hartinger owed more than $700,000 in taxes to the IRS, more than $300,000 to the state and was behind more than $40,000 to Wright County for property taxes.

"You have your hunches when you start the investigation, but it takes a while for the wheels to turn," said Capt. Greg Howell of the Wright County Sheriff's Department. "You want to do the most thorough investigation you can in a case like this."

Second-degree arson is a felony, carries a prison sentence of 10 years in prison and/or a $20,000 fine. 

A complete copy of the criminal complaint is attached to this story.