Dakota County Jury Convicts South St. Paul Man of First-Degree Burglary After Second Trial; 12½-Year Prison Sentence Imposed
Published: January 9, 2026
SOUTH ST. PAUL, MINNESOTA — A Dakota County jury has again found Gerald Edward Bolster, 42, guilty of first-degree burglary involving assault, following a second jury trial stemming from a violent home invasion in South St. Paul in August 2023.
Bolster was convicted on Count II: Burglary in the First Degree (Assault) after a jury trial that concluded on August 28, 2025, in Dakota County District Court. The conviction follows a lengthy legal process that included an earlier jury trial, an appeal, and a court-ordered retrial.
According to court records, Bolster was ultimately sentenced to 150 months (12½ years) in prison, with 880 days of credit for time already served, and committed to the custody of the Minnesota Department of Corrections.
Incident Details
The charges stem from an incident that occurred in the early morning hours of August 13, 2023, at a residence in South St. Paul.
According to the criminal complaint, officers with the South St. Paul Police Department were dispatched at approximately 3:35 a.m. to a reported assault. Upon arrival, officers spoke with two victims, the homeowner and a second woman identified as Bolster’s estranged wife.
Investigators allege Bolster entered the residence without consent through a back door after the women refused his requests to come outside. Once inside, Bolster confronted the victims in a bedroom, demanded a cell phone, and cornered one victim inside a closet while forcibly taking her phone. When the homeowner attempted to intervene using a self-defense taser, Bolster allegedly assaulted her, wrestled the taser away, and threatened to use it against the other victim. Bolster then fled the scene and later threw the stolen phone from his vehicle, destroying it.
Police later located Bolster, arrested him, and transported him to the South St. Paul Police Department. In a post-Miranda interview, Bolster claimed the victims assaulted him, a claim disputed by investigators and trial testimony.
Charges and Trial History
Bolster was originally charged with:
Two counts of Burglary in the First Degree (Assault) under Minnesota Statute §609.582.1(c)
One count of Second-Degree Assault with a Dangerous Weapon, which was later dismissed
A jury trial in October 2023 resulted in guilty verdicts on both burglary counts. However, Bolster appealed the convictions, arguing his constitutional rights were violated during the trial.
In 2024, the Minnesota Court of Appeals reversed the convictions, ruling that the admission of testimonial statements from non-testifying witnesses violated the Confrontation Clause and was not harmless error. The case was remanded for a new trial.
Bolster was retried in August 2025, where a jury once again convicted him of first-degree burglary involving assault.
Sentencing and Criminal History
Following the first conviction, the state sought an aggravated durational sentencing departure, citing Bolster’s extensive criminal history and status as a career offender.
A sentencing departure report submitted to the court in December 2023 identified Bolster’s conviction as his sixth felony, including prior convictions for:
Motor Vehicle Theft (2002)
Receiving Stolen Property (2003)
Third-Degree Burglary (2013)
Theft (2015)
Threats of Violence (2020)
The court ultimately granted the upward departure following the first conviction. Court documents show that the defense argued that the upward departure shouldn’t be allowed following the second trial, while the state argued that it should.
Bolster was sentenced on January 8, 2026, in Dakota County District Court, committing him to the Commissioner of Corrections for 150 months' imprisonment, with credit for 880 days served. Bolster remains incarcerated within the Minnesota Department of Corrections system.
Provided by Dakota County Jail.
Written by: Will Wight
