On Jan. 8, Minnesota authorities arrested three men for allegedly possessing and distributing methamphetamine. The trio was taken into custody in Hibbing.
According to media releases, deputies from the St. Louis County Sheriff’s Office executed a search warrant at an apartment complex on the 2000 block of 6th Avenue East at approximately 8:40 p.m. A 33-year-old male answered the door, and deputies placed him under arrest. A search of his clothing reportedly revealed that he was carrying over 300 grams of methamphetamine on his person. Two other men inside the apartment, ages 57 and 61, were also found to have cash, several baggies of meth and drug paraphernalia in their possession.
While searching the apartment, deputies also found scales, pipes, tin foil with suspected drug residue on it and other pieces of alleged drug paraphernalia. In addition, a bag of gun ammunition was found. The 33-year-old was charged with possession of methamphetamine with the intent to distribute, and a judge set his bail at $100,000. The 57-year-old was charged with third-degree sale of methamphetamine, and his bail was set at $30,000. The 61-year-old was charged with possession of methamphetamine with the intent to distribute and being a felon in possession of a firearm. His bail was set at $30,000. All three defendants are scheduled to attend hearings at the end of January.
Individuals convicted of drug charges could be sentenced to years in prison, assessed heavy fines and ordered to forfeit certain assets. However, by working with a criminal defense attorney, defendants might be able to avoid some or all of these penalties. In some cases, the attorney could work to build a strong defense against the accusations and attempt to get the charges dismissed. In others, legal counsel could recommend negotiating a plea bargain that reduces the charges.