Three people have been charged in connection with a downtown Minneapolis traffic stop, which state troopers say resulted in the seizure of over 57 pounds of methamphetamine.
According to the criminal complaints, a Minnesota State Patrol trooper was briefed on Jan. 8 by officers conducting surveillance on a man who authorities claim had just engaged in a suspected drug transaction involving a Toyota Camry.
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Junior De Jesus Herrera Berrios, 18, of Burnsville; Jose Napoleon Hernandez Castro, 22, of Burnsville; and Jose Antonio Loza Gonzalez, 18, of Apple Valley, are all charged in Hennepin County District Court with first-degree possession of a controlled substance.
The trooper noticed the man’s Toyota Camry heading south on Portland Avenue in downtown Minneapolis. The driver abruptly changed lanes and accelerated before unexpectedly slowing. The vehicle also had substantially tinted back windows, which were later assessed at 18 percent light transmittance. A traffic stop was started at Portland Avenue and East 15th Street.
Herrera Berrios was identified as the driver. According to court records, he did not have a valid driver’s license and gave a Minnesota identification card. Loza Gonzalez was placed in the front passenger seat, while Hernandez Castro sat behind the driver.
While conversing with Herrera Berrios, the trooper noticed inconsistent statements for where the gang had been and where they were heading. Herrera Berrios initially stated that they were coming from a hotel but later changed their story to say they were coming from a residence and worked nearby. The trooper noticed nervousness and avoidance of eye contact.
After more troopers came, each passenger was questioned individually. According to investigators, Loza Gonzalez and Hernandez Castro provided contradictory versions to each other and Herrera Berrios, including whether they were in a hotel or an apartment and who owned the vehicle.
Herrera Berrios later agreed to a search of the vehicle. A State Patrol K-9 sniffed the exterior and alerted at the rear driver’s side wheel well.
During the search, troopers discovered a huge suitcase in the trunk with 19 brick-shaped parcels wrapped in an aluminum-colored substance. One box was opened and field tested positive for methamphetamines. That single brick weighed approximately 1.4 kilograms, or slightly over three pounds. According to investigators, the 19 bricks combined weighed more than 57 pounds.
Troopers also discovered a rucksack inside the vehicle containing three more brick-shaped objects wrapped in a similar way. Two smaller plastic baggies weighing a total of 17.16 grams of methamphetamine were discovered stashed in a sunglasses visor near the front headliner, according to the accusations.
The three suspects were arrested at the scene and appeared in court for the first time last week. The bail for Jose Napoleon Hernandez Castro was set at $200,000. Junior De Jesus Herrera Berrios and Jose Antonio Loza Gonzalez were each granted $50,000 bail, subject to electronic monitoring and random drug tests. Herrera Berrios and Loza Gonzalez have since paid bail and been released, while Hernandez Castro is still in detention.
Each defendant faces one count of first-degree possession of 50 grams or more of methamphetamine, which carries a maximum sentence of 40 years in prison.
