The execution of a search warrant at a property in the 600 block of 8th Ave. South in St. Cloud resulted in the arrest of a 58-year-old man. The Central Minnesota Violent Offender Task Force obtained the search warrant for the location due to suspicions about illegal drug activity.
During the search, law enforcement officers reported finding substances suspected to be heroin, cocaine and methamphetamine. A .380 handgun and ammunition were also recovered from the location. The task force that assembled for this drug bust consisted of investigators from local police departments and deputies from Stearns, Benton, Sherburne, Todd and Morrison counties.
Police attributed possession of these items to the man who they took into custody. Officers placed him in the Stearns County Jail. He now faces multiple charges for possession of controlled substances and a firearm charge due to his ineligibility to possess a gun.
Prosecutors typically aim as many charges as they believe that the evidence can support at a criminal suspect. After being arrested, a person has the right to speak to an attorney. Legal representation might provide the person with support during a bail hearing, arraignment or trial. An attorney familiar with drug crimes may begin by analyzing the evidence to determine if it clearly supports the accusations of a prosecutor. The circumstances that led to a search and seizure might also come under the scrutiny of a defense attorney. Any indication that the suspect’s Constitutional rights were violated could potentially exclude evidence from consideration. Legal advice might prevent a person from immediately pleading guilty when defense options exist. When evidence appears unclear, an attorney may also talk to a prosecutor and request a reduction or dismissal of charges.
