West St. Paul Man Gets No Additional Jail Time After Allegedly Firing Gun Following Coffee Dispute
Published: September 20th, 2026.
WEST SAINT PAUL MN: —A man accused of firing a handgun into the air after becoming upset when a gas station employee told him he had to pay for a cup of coffee has been convicted of a felony, but will serve no additional jail time under his sentence.
Harold Andrew Riehm was convicted of felony reckless discharge of a firearm stemming from a May 29, 2026, incident at a gas station on Roberts Street in West St. Paul.
On Sept. 16, a Dakota County judge sentenced Riehm to 21 days in the Dakota County Jail but gave him credit for all 21 days already served, meaning the sentence requires no additional jail time. He was also placed on supervised probation for three years.
The court granted Riehm a stay of imposition, meaning the felony conviction will be reduced to a misdemeanor if he successfully completes probation.
Dispute Allegedly Started Over Cup of Coffee
According to the criminal complaint, West St. Paul police were dispatched to the gas station after an employee reported that a customer had fired a gun into the air following a disagreement inside the store.
The employee told investigators she had allowed the man to use the store's phone. While using the phone, he got a cup of coffee and allegedly became upset when she told him he needed to pay for it.
The complaint alleges the man threw the cup of coffee at the door before going outside. The employee told police she had seen a handgun in his waistband.
Once outside, the handgun allegedly fell to the ground. The man picked it up and fired it into the air before walking through the parking lot and firing it into the air a second time, according to the complaint.
A manager provided officers with surveillance images of the man, and numerous officers responded to search the surrounding area.
Police eventually located Riehm inside a nearby building. According to the complaint, his appearance matched the person depicted in the surveillance images, and he was taken into custody.
Weapons and Ammunition Found During Searches
Investigators learned Riehm rented three offices inside the building and obtained warrants to search them.
Police reported finding clothing consistent with the surveillance images, along with a significant amount of ammunition, a rifle and two shotguns. Officers also recovered numerous swords and knives.
Investigators additionally found bullet fragments on the first floor of the building that they believed came from a round fired outside a window, according to the complaint.
During a Mirandized interview, Riehm admitted being at the gas station and acknowledged becoming irritated after the employee asked him to pay for the coffee, according to the complaint. He denied being the man depicted in the surveillance images and denied having a firearm.
Riehm told investigators he was not allowed to have a firearm because his ex-wife had a harassment restraining order against him, according to the complaint. He acknowledged having ammunition and a wall-mounted gun in the office and said other weapons he owned were being stored at his father's house.
Loaded Handgun Found the Following Day
On May 30, a group of teenage boys found a loaded handgun in bushes near Riehm's offices, according to the complaint. Officers collected the gun as evidence.
An ATF trace determined the handgun had been purchased by someone who lived at Riehm's address, the complaint states.
Three Years of Supervised Probation
Riehm was placed on supervised probation for three years through Dakota County Community Corrections.
His probation conditions include having no contact with the victim, staying away from the Speedway in West St. Paul, complying with mental-health directives and anger management requirements, and not using or possessing firearms, ammunition or explosives. Restitution was reserved to be determined later.
Separately, the court ordered Riehm to complete 40 hours of community work service by Dec. 31, 2026, to be scheduled with probation.
The court granted a stay of imposition, meaning that if Riehm successfully completes probation, the felony conviction will be reduced to a misdemeanor.