A Crow Wing district court sentenced a central Minnesota man to 44 months in prison for possessing over three grams of a controlled substance. He received a second sentence of 39 months for selling narcotics, but the sentences will be served concurrently in the St. Cloud correctional facility, meaning that he will only serve a total of 44 months for both drug charges. During the sentencing, the 26-year-old man received credit for previous time spent in prison.
In addition to the third-degree possession charge, the 44-month sentence was a result of nine other counts, including selling a marijuana mixture. All of the nine counts were dismissed, however.
The man was caught while officers were on patrol at the public access point for Bass Lake. Police decided to investigate a suspicious-looking vehicle containing three male passengers. When officers learned that there was a warrant out for the man’s arrest, they conducted a search and discovered a pill bottle containing gabapentin. The bottle’s label was torn off. Officers also found a large stash of cash and a paper appearing to contain drug notes.
Police discovered even more in the man’s vehicle. Several small bags of marijuana were found, totaling about 5.1 grams. Officers eventually found several empty baggies, two scales and pills such as alprazolam and Seroquel. Even more marijuana was found in a hidden compartment inside of a bottle of RockStar energy drink.
This is not the man’s first drug conviction. In 2011, he was charged with the sale of narcotics when he sold meth to an undercover informant in Brainerd.
The man has definitely benefited from a good defense. The decision to have both of his sentences served concurrently has nearly cut his jail time in half. It’s not unreasonable for a judge to sentence a repeat offender as harshly as possible. Also, having nine out of the 10 possible charges dropped is a big advantage for the man. Defense attorneys can help anyone in these situations negotiate for a lighter possible sentence.
Source: brainerddispatch.com, “Garrison man to serve prison time for drug charges” Jennifer Stockinger, Nov. 27, 2013