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| Alexander Larson |
Time and the judicial process will have to determine the accuracy of a novelty T-shirt worn by Alexander Larson as he was photographed during processing at the Clay County Jail.
For now, the 19-year-old Spencer man -- who in his mug shot sports a T-shirt that features a definition of the word "loser" -- faces some fairly serious charges.
Members of the Spencer Police Department accompanied Larson's probation officer Friday morning for a search of Larson's apartment in the 300 block of Grand Avenue.
The search, to rule out any contraband, was conducted as part of the conditions of Larson's probation.
"We realized, while we were going to go conduct the search, that there was a warrant for him, so he was going to be picked up on the warrant irregardless of what the search found." Lawson said. "The search of the apartment resulted in one of the officers discovering the pipe bomb."
Larson was arrested on an outstanding warrant for failure to register as a sex offender and for second-degree arson related to the possession of an explosive device.
As for what Larson was doing with the device, the police chief said, "your guess is as good as mine."
"To be honest with you, I think it was just going to be a big firecracker in his point-of-view," Lawson said. "He didn't have plans to do anything with it other than that."
Officers arrived at about 11:20 a.m. Friday and were done before noon. Spencer firefighters were on hand to assist the State Fire Marshal's office. They remained on standby at the scene for about 20 minutes.
"It had a fuse sticking out of it, so the officers are trained to not handle or touch anything until we get ahold of the fire marshal's office and the fire department," Lawson said. "They have the equipment and trained personnel to deal with that."
The pipe bomb was taken to a secure location and disposed of.
A warrant was issued for Larson because he allegedly failed to comply with Iowa Sex Offender Registry requirements. He was sentenced on Feb. 9 after entering a guilty plea for possessing materials that depict the exploitation of a minor. He received a two-year prison sentence, which was suspended, according to court records.
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I really am unhappy about what was said in this article about my husband Alexander Larson...What he is wearing and what happened did not need to be talked about in the way that it did...He knows he screwed up is it not enough that it was all over the tv, radio, and now the newspaper...I understand you need to write your story but that is going too far...I am not happy with it and i am making that known i am trying to be the better person here but i am so mad right now because it was not needed it was said to hurt him...Well guess what it wont cause no matter what anyone says me and a select few people know alex and know how good of a person my husband is...and for some people trying to tear him down like they are doing getting the whole town talking about it is wrong and he does not need to worry about everyone getting in his business and laughing in his face...
Written by Kristin Larson...Alexander Larsons wife
Ya, you're right. Can't a man just make bombs in peace without worrying about what people say about him?
Doesn't matter if it was commented on or not think we all noticed it and he was the one advertising himself. I am also comforted to know that all of you know what a "good man" he is. It takes a good man to have materials exploiting a minor and have posession of a pipe bomb.
k i am married to him i would know and it was not a pipe bomb it was a precution gradade you light it and it makes a loud noise...It was a friends that i thought was his when we moved and you guys dont know what happened with the whole sex offender thing so dont judge him on that unless you can tell me exactly why he became one then go ahead and say what you want.
Written by Kristin Larson...Alexander Larsons Proud Wife
Kristin, I understand where your coming from and yes it seems that the local news here will throw all your bussiness into the street for all to see, although locals should know that.
If you don't want bad things being known about your past, don't do them in the first place. Not to judge your man, but if he is a husband and at 19 nearly grown, he needs to stop wearing kids shirts then no one can pick on that.
Also I feel your pain on the sex offender thing, maybe at 18 he had a 16 year old girlfriend who knows, heck so did I. But law is law, he was told to register, he didn't so now he is in the news. Welcome to grown up land!
Mrs. Larson is correct! This NEWS story had a lead sentence that was 100% editorialization regarding the arrested man's attire. I CRINGED when I read it. The 'personal opinion' showed poor judgement on the part of the editorial staff and now our local paper has lost some credibility with the public. STICK TO THE FACTS! Need we remind you: WHO, WHAT, WHERE, WHEN, and HOW...
This story would have garnered you a failing grade in journalism school. Bet you won't submit this one for an award. :)
Wow, a grenade. Like that is any better than a pipe bomb. I don't know how its possible to defend a man that is a sex offender and has an explosive device. Alex was not called a loser. The article stated that the judicial system will determine whether the shirt is indeed accurate.
I doubt the Daily Reporter has ever submitted an arrest story for any awards. I personally liked this story because there was a little flavor added. You don't win awards for giving only WHO WHAT WHERE WHEN WHY HOW. Anybody can do that. You win awards for writing unique, quality articles. And there is no such thing as journalism school. But I think this story would get a solid A in a journalism class.
While I like this article and the way it was written, I will have to give it an A-. This is due to the use of the word irregardless. As a guy once told me, I think his name was Mike Rudamann, irregardless is a double negative and the word regardless should have been used. But hey I'm not the journalist here.
Nicely done article, sorry but if you're going to wear the shirt you should be prepared for what people are going to say about it. If the truth fits...wear it. Go Steelers!
I'd like to respond to some of the comments this story has generated.
spackle86 - The word irregardless was contained in a sentence that was a quote of Mr Lawson. Don't blame the reporter.
ruralgirl - Your comment implies that you have training from a school of journalism (not journalism school as you called it). If this is true, I'd like to know what school you attended so that I can make sure my grandchildren don't go there. Your repeated use of CAPS to try and make a point illustrates your inability to get your point across with effective writing. Stick to whatever it is that rural girls do. You have no place in a public forum.
Brighteyesjfk - If you want to effectively represent your friend Mrs. Larson, begin with getting a dictionary. I am guessing that "precution gradade " was supposed to say "percussion grenade". If that is the case, it is still something that Mr. Larson and most anyone else shouldn't have in their possession. The point is, you are simply making yourself and your friend look foolish.
Mrs. Larson - You don't seem to understand that I don't have to judge your husband on "the whole sex offender thing". He has already been judged and found guilty. He further violated the law when he didn't register and then was found with an explosive device. Your husband's personal choices don't seem to be good ones and I include his wardrobe in that statement.
Finally, I'd just like to add that I completely agree with the opening statement in the story. The judicial system will indeed determine the accuracy of the content Mr. Larson's shirt as it applies to him and I am fairly confident of the outcome.
Hey PhantomII Brighteyesjfk is me i am his wife so pay more attention next time and sorry for spelling a word wrong...Please forgive my horrible mistake the only real person who has commented on this who has actually listen to what i said is ruralgirl all i said was i was not happy with the comments that the writer made when he was writting my husbands story i understaind why he did it totally...I just said i will repeat it again for you so it gets through to you that i didnt like how it was worded and the only person that actually listened to that was Ruralgirl so thank you for seeing what i was repeating in every comment that i made and yeah when he was 18 he did date a 15 year old and got caught and now is a sex offender so judge him all you want but just know one thing you dont actually know him you can say what you want...That is the wonderful thing about living where we do...just be conciderate to what you are saying that is common sense...so do you understaind me now or do i need to sound like a broken record again? and question where did it ever say in the artical that that was a direct quote from officer lawson? just wondering cause i have read and re-read this artical on my husband many times and it did not once say that...hmmmm interesting stop atacking people and acting all self absorbed i was being respectful and said i didnt like the way he wrote the artical dont make it about anything bigger ok?
Kristin Larson...Alexander Larsons wife
Mrs Larson - In light of your response, allow me to rephrase a part of my initial response.
With your lack of punctuation, grammatical errors, and atrocious spelling you are making yourself look foolish. To quote you, "so do you understaind me now or do i need to sound like a broken record again? "
As far as the quote of Mr. Lawson is concerned it is in the fifth paragraph down. That's the same number of appendages that you have on one hand so you should be able to find it. My initial comment was not about your husband or his wardrobe, it was directed to spackle86 and was about the use of the word "irregardless". Try reading my comment again, perhaps you'll figure it out.
Is ruralgirl really the only one that has listened to what you have said or is it that ruralgirl is the only one that agrees with you?
Your husband dated a 15 year old when he was 18 and is now a sex offender? I didn't know you could become a sex offender for dating someone. I dated somebody with that same age gap, authority figures were aware, and I was not arrested.
In Iowa, if you are 14 or 15, it is legal to have sexual relations with somebody that is at most 4 years older than you. Therefore, a 14 and 18 year old could have relations and a 15 and 19 year old could have relations. Your husband is not a registered sex offender for having a girlfriend that was 3 years younger than him.
I don't think we need to personally know your husband to comment on his character. The facts about his criminal record are all in the article.
Mrs. Larson- as others have said, you aren't doing yourself, your family, or your husband any favors by coming on this site and acting this way. If you have a personal problem with the article, contact the editor; don't discuss it in a forum meant for readers looking to comment on or discuss the content of the article with each other. Nobody here can help you- the editor may be able to.
That being said, whatever your husband did to be convicted of his charges is what allowed the town to be "in his business" as you put it. Was the comment about his shirt necessary? Probably not. However, both you and he clearly have larger problems than this community's opinions on his wardrobe, so it may be wise to focus on those.