Charges: DFL House candidate from Alexandria and wife stole hundreds of yard signs

An Alexandria man running for state office and his wife are facing felony charges for allegedly stealing hundreds of yard signs advertising events and supporting local politicians.

Judd B. Hoff, 53 — who is running against incumbent Rep. Mary Franson in District 12B — was charged Friday with two felony counts: aiding and abetting felony theft and receiving stolen property. His wife, 50-year-old Wendy B. Hoff, was also charged Friday with one count of felony theft.

According to court documents, the Alexandria Police Department and Douglas County Sheriff’s Office took numerous reports of stolen signs beginning in mid-July, including signs for craft fairs, garage sales and produce stands, as well as signs honoring slain Pope County Deputy Josh Owen, who was fatally shot last year when responding to a domestic call.

In late July, an off-duty officer saw Hoff’s vehicle stopping at residences and taking off with signs. In early August, an employee of a firearm store confronted Wendy Hoff after seeing her remove political signs.

Court documents state that Wendy Hoff expressed frustration in an interview with a deputy that law enforcement removed one of her husband’s signs from a public right-of-way.

On Wednesday, officers executed a search warrant at the Hoffs’ house in the 2700 block of Le Homme Dieu Heights, where they found “piles of large signs [in] plain view, leaning up against the garage” and more inside the garage, court documents state. Some signs advertised political candidates including Donald Trump, as well as U.S. Rep. Michelle Fischbach and her primary competitor, Steve Boyd.

Officers found approximately 242 signs, many “covered with black paint, obstructing the names and images of the original sign,” documents state. Several of the painted signs displayed, “Vote Hoff, State Representative 12B.”

Judd and Wendy Hoff were arrested Saturday and appeared in court Monday morning; the next court date for both of them is Aug. 21. Judd Hoff has a long criminal history including second-degree assault for wielding a machete during an argument. He was also accused of harassing Franson, a Republican who has represented the district since 2011.

In April, the DFL faced backlash for endorsing Hoff, whom Republicans say harassed and stalked Franson for years, “digging through her trash, publishing her address and contact information, filming her at her private residence, and relentlessly sending rude and threatening messages online,” according to the House Republican Campaign Committee.

At the time, DFL Party Chair Ken Martin said the state party “strongly disavows this endorsement” and that he had asked the local party unit to immediately withdraw their endorsement.

On Sunday, the Douglas County DFL posted to social media its endorsement for Hoff has been rescinded based on police actions related to the yard sign thefts. On Monday, a spokesperson for the DFL said they are “glad that the local party unit has finally joined us in withdrawing their support.”

District 12B swings heavily Republican. Franson won her re-election campaign in 2022 with nearly 70% of the vote over her DFL challenger and has been endorsed in her re-election campaign.