STORM LAKE, IA (Northwestiowanow) — A Storm Lake man has pleaded guilty to a drug charge in Iowa while facing multiple felony charges in South Dakota tied to a violent assault.
Storm Lake Police say the investigation began May 19th after officers were alerted to a video in which a man claimed he had killed someone in Sioux Falls. That video was turned over to Sioux Falls Police.
Court records allege the footage showed 23-year-old Jafet Almendarez repeatedly striking a man who was lying on the ground and appeared unresponsive. Investigators say the person in the video referred to himself as “Fetty,” which they later connected to Almendarez.
Despite the claims made in the video, the victim survived. He later contacted authorities, reporting someone had forced entry into his hotel room. The victim told officers he does not remember what happened after the suspect entered, only that he woke up in severe pain.
Investigators believe the assault occurred at an Econolodge on North Cliff Avenue in Sioux Falls, where staff reported finding a blood-stained pillow after a guest checked out.
Almendarez was later arrested at a bar in the 700 block of Lake Avenue in Storm Lake on a warrant out of Minnehaha County, South Dakota. Officers say marijuana was found in his possession during the arrest, leading to a Buena Vista County charge. A search warrant executed at the jail also led to the seizure of clothing and a cell phone.
On June 22nd, Almendarez pleaded guilty to possession of a controlled substance. He was sentenced to two days in jail with credit for time served and ordered to pay a $430 fine.
In South Dakota, Almendarez faces multiple felony charges, including first-degree burglary causing physical harm, first-degree burglary at night, two counts of aggravated assault, second-degree robbery, and grand theft from a person. He was held on a combined $51,000 bond and is expected to be extradited to South Dakota as the case continues.
