Apple Valley Man Sentenced to Prison for Shooting Incident Near Dakota County Fair; Also Convicted in Separate Assault Case
Published: January 9, 2026
FARMINGTON, MINNESOTA — An Apple Valley man has been sentenced to prison after pleading guilty to a felony assault involving a firearm near the Dakota County Fair in Farmington, according to court records.
Sage Steven Strong, 23, was sentenced today, January 9, 2026, following his conviction for second-degree assault with a dangerous weapon, a felony under Minnesota law. The case stemmed from an incident on August 7, 2025, in which Strong was accused of firing a handgun at a juvenile victim while he and his friends were leaving the fairgrounds.
Shooting Incident Near Dakota County Fair
According to the criminal complaint, Farmington Police Officers and Dakota County sheriff’s deputies were dispatched to reports of an active shooter near the intersection of 2nd Street and Maple Street on the evening of August 7, 2025, which is just north of the Dakota County Fairgrounds. Officers encountered Strong in the area, wearing clothing matching the suspect description.
During a weapons search, officers found .380 caliber full metal jacket ammunition in a waist pack worn by Strong. A pistol was later located in the bed of a nearby pickup truck, where officers had observed Strong moments earlier. Deputies also recovered a spent .380 shell casing from the roadway near the reported shooting location.
Investigators interviewed a juvenile victim who reported that Strong had followed him and his friends as they were leaving the fair, and was acting weird. The victim told officers that Strong pulled a handgun from his bag, prompting the victim to get on the ground out of fear. The victim reported being kicked and stomped before Strong told him to leave, so he fled. It was at this point that Strong allegedly fired a round in his direction. The victim stated the bullet passed close to his head.
Multiple witnesses corroborated the victim’s account, and a Snapchat image of the suspect was obtained during the investigation. The victim and witnesses later positively identified Strong during a show-up identification.
The red marker shows where the shooting incident occurred at 2nd Street and Maple Street, north of the Dakota County Fairgrounds.
Guilty Plea and Prison Sentence
Court records show Strong entered a Blakely-waived guilty plea, allowing the court to impose a sentence without a jury determining aggravating factors.
Strong was convicted of Assault in the Second Degree (Dangerous Weapon) under Minnesota Statute 609.222.1, with reference to the firearm minimum sentencing statute. He was ordered to serve 36 months in the custody of the Minnesota Department of Corrections at the Minnesota Correctional Facility in St. Cloud.
The sentence includes 155 days of credit for time already served. Under Minnesota law, the executed sentence requires that at least two-thirds of the term be served in prison, with the remaining portion eligible for supervised release.
Separate Assault Conviction at Dakota County Administration Building
In addition to the felony case, Strong was also sentenced in a separate misdemeanor assault case stemming from an incident on August 21, 2025, at the Dakota County Administration Building in Hastings. Court records did not state what occurred during this incident.
In that case, Strong was convicted of fifth-degree assault — fear of bodily harm, while a second count of fifth-degree assault involving bodily harm was dismissed. Court records show he was sentenced to 90 days in the Dakota County Jail, with credit for time served exceeding the sentence length, resulting in no additional jail time.
Provided by Dakota County Jail.
Written by: Will Wight
