Man Charged With Crimes To Benefit Gang Following Woodbury Incident

A Cottage Grove man was recently charged in Washington County District Court with committing crimes to benefit a gang.

Chee Nou Yang, 21, was allegedly involved in a string of thefts in Woodbury and Cottage Grove, according to the criminal complaint.

In November 2010, Woodbury investigators found that a GPS device stolen from a home at the 9000 block of Highview Lane had been pawned at a shop in St. Paul by Yang, according to the complaint. In December 2010, Yang was arrested by Cottage Grove police, who learned that he was a member of the True Blood Asian 22 street gang.

Yang—who has gang tattoos on his chest, upper arm, and back—told Woodbury investigators that his role in the gang was to drive around fellow gang members who stole items. He would then pawn the items, according to the complaint.

If convicted on the felony count, he faces up to 25 years in prison and a $35,000 fine.