Perham man charged in alleged theft from Thumper Pond Resort

A Perham man is facing a felony theft case after Otter Tail County prosecutors said cash went missing from Thumper Pond Resort, one of Ottertail’s best-known hospitality properties. Colton Hackel, 23, appeared before Otter Tail County Court on June 18 from the Otter Tail County Detention Center.

Police reports say the alleged theft involved bank bags of cash, a detail that points to a secured business-handling process rather than an ordinary drawer shortage. Under Minnesota law, theft covers intentionally taking or retaining another person’s property without consent and with the intent to permanently deprive the owner.

The case lands at a resort that sits at 300 Thumper Lodge Road in Ottertail and markets itself as a family resort and golf course. Thumper Pond says its property includes a 12,000-square-foot indoor waterpark with two three-story slides and an activity pool, along with an 18-hole championship golf course carved out of 90,000 red pine trees.

That scale matters in a town the size of Ottertail. A 2023 sale-related project summary described the property as about 206.49 acres with a 78-key hotel, bar and grill, RV park and event facilities, all of which can create multiple cash points and more places where employers have to rely on accounting controls, deposits and oversight.

Thumper Pond’s employment footprint also helps explain why a theft allegation can ripple beyond the courtroom. A 2008 press release said the resort employed about 150 people at the height of season and 80 to 90 in the off-season, making workplace trust a practical issue for management, co-workers and customers alike. In a small tourism market, a felony case tied to a visible employer can raise questions about internal controls and the stability of day-to-day operations.

Minnesota Court Records Online provides public access to many district court records, though pending cases may not always appear in a name search unless a case number is used. As the case moves through Otter Tail County Court, the allegation now sits at the intersection of criminal law, resort operations and confidence in one of the area’s most recognizable destinations.