Plea change hearing set for man who lost meth baggie in donut rack at Clear Lake convenience store

CLEAR LAKE — A plea change hearing has been scheduled for a Mason City man accused of losing a baggie of methamphetamine in a donut rack at a Clear Lake convenience store.

A criminal complaint said 53-year-old Ronald  Bakkum was at the Kum & Go at 2005 US Highway 18 East on January 3rd where he reached into a donut rack and got his sleeve caught in the door. As Bakkum went to pay for his donut, he stopped and began searching the area for a lost item, saying to the clerk he lost a coin. Bakkum went out to the parking lot and started to look around on the pavement. The clerk saw a baggie of a clear crystal substance between two donuts where Bakkum had been reaching.

When an officer arrived on the scene, he took photos of the one gram baggie and took it into evidence. The officer later watched video footage of Bakkum at the donut rack. A Mason City police officer later identified Bakkum from a still shot of the video.

Bakkum was later arrested and charged with third or subsequent offense possession of a controlled substance, a Class D felony.  He originally had pleaded not guilty and was scheduled to stand trial on May 4th, but court records show that a plea change hearing scheduled for May 11th was approved on Monday in Cerro Gordo County District Court.