Cass County Sheriff Jesse Jahner and Sergeant Matt Iverson on WDAY Radio’s The Coffee Club
FARGO, N.D. — The Cass County Sheriff’s Office provided an in-depth look at how law enforcement manages inmate extraditions, detailing the complex logistics behind bringing fugitives back to North Dakota to face justice.
On WDAY Radio’s The Coffee Club with Janae and Ronnie, Cass County Sheriff Jesse Jahner and Sergeant Matt Iverson explained that when an individual with an extraditable felony warrant is apprehended out of state, the county is responsible for transporting them back. The process typically begins when a suspect appears before a judge in the holding jurisdiction to either sign a waiver of extradition or contest it.
“If they sign the waiver, then usually states have deadlines for pickup—typically 10 business days,” said Iverson.
However, if an inmate refuses to waive extradition, law enforcement must initiate a lengthy legal process known as a governor’s warrant. This involves multiple affidavits, state’s attorney approvals, and formal signatures from the governors of both states.
“I’d say like 95% of them that go to court, they usually sign,” Iverson noted, adding that waiting for a governor’s warrant often results in suspects spending significantly more time in out-of-state jails before ultimately returning to face their charges.
To mitigate the financial burden on local taxpayers, Cass County heavily relies on a multi-state cooperative network called the Northwest Shuttle. Participating states—ranging from Washington and California to Texas and Minnesota—relay inmates across state lines at no added fee to participating agencies.
“It’s no cost to using the shuttle… All it is is like a handshake. It’s just law enforcement agencies that are participating in this and that we help each other out,” Iverson explained.
Sheriff Jahner praised his transport team for being fiscally responsible while ensuring justice is served.
“I think most of our citizens want us to go get these individuals because they’ve committed serious crimes in our county and they need to be brought to justice,” he said. “If we can all become more efficient and use the shuttle service, that can help us in not having to run all over the place.”
