All 6 face lengthy sentences if convicted.
The Hennepin County Attorney’s Office announced it has charged six people with drugs crimes following the seizure of significant amounts of fentanyl, methamphetamine and cocaine.
Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty announced the charges Tuesday, with the six separate cases relating to a combined 34.5 lbs. of fentanyl, 14 lbs. of methamphetamine, 2 lbs. of cocaine, at least seven gun and ammunition.
“These cases are the result of incredible work by our law enforcement partners to seize these narcotics and arrest those trying to spread them throughout our communities,” Moriarty said. “We have a public health crisis in our neighborhoods because of the fentanyl flooding the streets.”
Details of each case are included below.
Matthew Rewald, 28, of Minneapolis
Rewald was arrested at the Radisson Red hotel in downtown Minneapolis after authorities conducted multiple search warrants on March 8.
According to a criminal complaint, officers found a Sentry Safe inside Rewald’s suitcase and found 1,811 grams (nearly four pounds) of fentanyl. Inside his Cadillac, police also found a handgun and a kilo drug press, which was covered in a white powder inside a second suitcase.
Police also found another gun and a money counter at his home in Minneapolis.
Rewald’s criminal history prohibits him from carrying firearms as he was convicted of 3rd-degree drug possession charges in March 2014.
The 28-year-old is charged with 1st-degree drug sale and illegal possession of firearms. If convicted, he faces a maximum sentence of 55 years in prison and/or up to a $1,030,000 fine. Rewald has an omnibus court hearing scheduled for May 4.
Pierre Lamont Flowers, 35, of Eden Prairie
Officers arrested Flowers in an Aldi parking lot on the 8000 block of Columbine Road in Eden Prairie on March 15.
According to the complaint, a search warrant issued for Flowers’ car and residence found the following:
- Nearly 8 pounds of methamphetamine (3,612 grams)
- Over a pound of cocaine (557 grams)
- Nearly 3 pounds of fentanyl (1,300 grams)
- Over 2 pounds of marijuana (970 grams)
- Short-barrel assault-style rifle
- Money counter
- Over $4,000 cash found in a safe
Flowers has been previously convicted of 1st-degree aggravated robbery in 2010 and a felony conviction of possessing a firearm in 2016.
Flowers has been charged with two counts of 1st-degree aggravated controlled substance crime with two aggravating factors and two counts of illegal possession of firearms. If convicted, he could serve a maximum of a life sentence and/or up to a $4,060,000 fine. Flowers has an omnibus court hearing scheduled for April 20.
White was arrested on March 15 after officers with the Dakota County Drug Task Force executed a search warrant at his apartment on the 1700 block of Nicollet Avenue in Minneapolis.
Per the complaint, officers found over 8 lbs. of fentanyl (3,725.05 grams), a Glock, over $30,000 in cash, a digital money counter and several other substantial amounts of drugs in his apartment. That includes:
- 99.92 grams of heroin
- Over 3 lbs. (1,513.09 grams) of methamphetamine
- Nearly half a pound (186.58 grams) of cocaine
- 10.59 grams of crack cocaine
Similar to Flowers’ charges, the criminal complaint said based on all items recovered, White “appears to hold a high position in the drug distribution hierarchy.”
He’s scheduled for an omnibus hearing on May 3.
Gregory Jerome Collins, 44, of Minneapolis
Police were surveilling Collins as part of a narcotics investigation in Minneapolis on March 15, according to a criminal complaint.
Officers found over 13 lbs. of fentanyl, 3.5 lbs. of methamphetamine, 100 grams of heroin, three firearms and more than $13,000 cash after search warrants were served on Collins’ vehicle and apartment.
According to court records, Collins has a previous conviction of fifth-degree assault, illegal possession of a firearm and is currently on probation for fifth-degree drug possession.
The 44-year-old has an omnibus court hearing scheduled for April 27.
Kortney Ann Roe, 43, of Moline, IL
A K-9 alerted officers at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport of an odor of drugs coming from a roller bag belonging to Roe on March 14.
According to the complaint, police found 20,000 fentanyl pills, weighing nearly 5 lbs.
Roe is charged with 1st-degree drug sale. If convicted, she faces up to 40 years in prison and/or up to a $1 million fine. Roe has an omnibus hearing scheduled for April 17.
Fenner was arrested while attempting to pick up a drug shipment and deliver it to an address in Maplewood, his criminal complaint says.
On March 17, Fenner’s luggage was flagged by a narcotics K-9 at MSP Airport. Fenner went to grab the luggage and walk away when he was stopped by officers.
In all, authorities found around 8,000 fentanyl pills weighing nearly 2 lbs. (866 grams). Fenner told police he wasn’t aware of what was inside but acknowledged it was some sort of drug. He said he was to be paid $500 after he delivered the bag to its destination.
