STILLWATER, Minn. — Authorities are intensifying their search for David Powers, 37, who evaded law enforcement after failing to appear for his trial in Washington County. Powers faces severe charges including kidnapping, first-degree criminal sexual conduct, and domestic assault by strangulation stemming from a harrowing incident in May 2023.
The fugitive was out on bond, set at $500,000, when he decided to absent himself from the courtroom on the last day of his trial, specifically during the cross-examination phase, never returning after his testimony the previous Friday. An arrest warrant was promptly issued for Powers, who is suspected of removing his GPS monitoring device to avoid capture.
Despite Powers’ disappearance, the trial proceeded without him, culminating in a guilty verdict on all counts after five days of deliberation. The heinous nature of the crimes, particularly as Powers confined and assaulted his then-girlfriend, Chandra McFarland, in her Lake Elmo residence, stunned the community and provoked a strong response from legal authorities.
Kevin Magnuson, the county attorney, expressed his determination to seek a stringent penalty for Powers, given the gravity of the charges and the distress caused to the victim and the community. He announced plans to argue for a significant upward departure from the presumptive sentence as outlined by the Minnesota Sentencing Guidelines to reflect the severity of Powers’ actions and ensure public safety.
According to court records, Powers, formerly known as David Robakevich, has a troubling history of violent crime, including a previous conviction for domestic assault following charges of attempted murder and domestic strangulation in 2013. This history contributed to initial hesitance from authorities when granting him bail under strict conditions, including GPS monitoring.
The charges against Powers are severe, with the first-degree criminal sexual conduct charge carrying a maximum sentence of 30 years, kidnapping providing for up to 40 years, and domestic assault by strangulation punishable by up to three years in prison. Given the confluence of these charges, Powers faces a formidable legal battle once apprehended.
The incident surfaced when McFarland did not show up for work following the assault, prompting concerned colleagues to request a welfare check. They described her experience upon returning from a night out, which rapidly degenerated when Powers, emboldened by alcohol according to McFarland, mercilessly attacked and threatened her into silence.
Authorities finally intervened, leading to McFarland’s hospitalization and Powers’ arrest. The case has since highlighted ongoing concerns about domestic violence and the challenges in managing offenders who pose a continuous risk to public safety.
As of Wednesday following the guilty verdict, Powers remains at large, with no specified date for sentencing, intensifying the urgency for his capture to ensure he faces the consequences of his egregious behavior.
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