Crookston, MN, Woman Sentenced to Federal Prison for Role in Flying J Truck Stop Murder

FARGO – U.S. Attorney Christopher C. Myers announced that on November 27, 2017, LORIE ORTIZ, age 33, of Crookston, MN, was sentenced before U.S. District Judge Ralph R. Erickson to serve 70 months in federal prison, to be followed by 3 years of supervised release, for her role as an Accessory After the Fact in the drug-related death of Austin Forsman. Judge Erickson further sentenced Ortiz to pay a $100 special assessment to the Crime Victims’ Fund in addition to restitution in the amount of $9,409.11.

Law enforcement’s investigation into the murder of Austin Forsman at the Flying J Truck Stop in Grand Forks, ND, in the early morning hours of March 11, 2016, resulted in the Indictment of 13 conspirators in connection with a methamphetamine ring in the Grand Forks area. There were twelve other defendants charged in this case, including Modesto Torrez who was found guilty after a jury trial regarding the drug trafficking conspiracy and murder in furtherance of the drug trafficking conspiracy, as well as obstruction of justice. Torrez is scheduled to be sentenced on December 1, 2017, in Fargo.

This case was investigated by the Grand Forks Police Department, Grand Forks Narcotics Task Force, North Dakota Bureau of Criminal Investigation, and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security – Homeland Security Investigations.

This case was prosecuted by U.S. Attorney Christopher C. Myers, Assistant U.S. Attorney Jake Rodenbiker, and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeremy Ensrud.