Reason To Doubt Man's Claim Of Innocence

APRIL 26--Meet Clifford Torres-Maldonado.

The North Dakota resident was arrested Friday night on a bench warrant charging him with failure to appear in court this month in a methamphetamine possession case.

Torres-Maldonado, 34, has pleaded not guilty to the misdemeanor drug charge. He was arrested last year following a traffic stop near his Bismarck home. According to a probable cause affidavit, a cop found a small baggie of meth “stuck inside a cigarette container” belonging to Torres-Maldonado.

Torres-Maldonado, who was free on bond following his November 2020 arrest, pleaded guilty last year in a separate case to possession of meth and marijuana, child neglect, and possession of drug paraphernalia. He was sentenced to 18 months probation and ordered to complete a “parenting/nurturing class.”

As seen above, Torres-Maldonado was wearing a Pinocchio shirt with the words “It Wasn’t Me” at the time of his arrest on the bench warrant (which carried a $250 appearance bond).  

Torres-Maldonado appears to have made bond, since his name does not appear on the inmate roster at the Burleigh County jail. (3 pages)