Man sentenced in burglary case involving Rush nightclub in Cottage Grove

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A Cold Spring, Minn., man was sentenced to prison in connection with an alleged burglary of the former Rush nightclub building in Cottage Grove.

Aaron J. Hurlburt, 29, was sentenced last month to 17 months in prison after he pleaded guilty to possessing burglary tools, a felony. Two other felony charges – receiving stolen property and third-degree burglary – were dismissed as part of a Feb. 23 plea deal.

A criminal complaint alleged that Hurlburt and another man had gone to the vacant West Point Douglas Road nightclub in the middle of the night Oct. 8, 2011 and took wire that had been removed from the building. Their vehicle was stopped and Hurlburt allegedly fled on foot. Police found burglary tools, including a saw, in the vehicle, along with a large amount of wire.

Hurlburt was arrested and jailed. The Washington County Sheriff’s Office monitored Hurlburt’s jail phone calls, during which he was recorded telling a woman about the location of climbing spikes and tools, and that he believed police were going to try to charge him with burglarizing the building. Police later found the tools at a Grey Cloud Island Township property where Hurlburt told the woman they were located.

A boot print found in the nightclub building matched boots seized from Hurlburt, according to the complaint.

Hurlburt was sentenced and given credit for 104 days served. He was ordered to pay restitution and a $50 fine.

@9on11:<*R>–Scott Wente