Two people were arrested in Minnesota on April 18 and charged with drug offenses according to the Becker County Sheriff’s Office. The 45-year-old woman and 34-year-old man were charged in Becker County District Court with first-degree possession of a controlled substance and second-degree possession of a controlled substance.
The pair were taken into custody after a drug trafficking investigation on April 12 by an array of police agencies throughout the state including the West Central Minnesota Drug and Violent Crimes Task Force and the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension. Police agencies reportedly seized approximately $20,000 in cash as well as 425 grams of heroin and cocaine mixed with fentanyl.
Fentanyl is the powerful synthetic opioid that has been linked to overdoses due to its strength. The local sheriff claimed that additional arrests on related drug charges are expected to take place.
Arrests on drug charges can carry serious, life-long consequences, and they can even sweep up people with little connection to drug activity as well as those facing more severe allegations. People can be arrested when they share a home with others who are accused, attend a party or face a home search without their consent. In Minnesota, there are five degrees of drug crimes; first-degree charges are the most severe while fifth-degree charges are the least.
People accused of drug crimes may be able to challenge the type of search and seizure as well as other elements of the police or prosecution claims. A criminal defense attorney may work with an accused person to present a defense to drug charges. An attorney might be able to help minimize the effects on a person’s life and achieve the best outcome possible.