Published: February 08, 2008 10:27 am         

Search nets drugs

NORTH MANKATO — Twelve bags of what was described as a “black rock substance with a pink powder tint” were among suspected drugs found in a safe inside a North Mankato house while investigators were searching for stolen property, according to court records.

Whatever the black substance was, it didn’t result in charges against 22-year-old Adam Jeffrey Kremer during an initial court appearance for three felonies Wednesday.

That’s because Minnesota River Valley Drug Task Force investigators weren’t immediately able to identify the substance.

Investigators were able to identify two large bags and 10 smaller bags of marijuana, totaling about 2 pounds; a bag containing 12 ounces of hallucinogenic mushrooms and a small amount of hashish during the search, according to the criminal complaint filed against Kremer. He’s charged with one count each of second-degree drug possession, fourth-degree drug possession and fifth-degree drug possession.

Law enforcement officers from the North Mankato Police Department, and Freeborn and Faribault County sheriff’s departments on Monday executed a search warrant at Kremer’s house, 1529 Hoover Drive. They had received a tip that Kremer had property that had been stolen during a string of rural burglaries near Minnesota Lake, Wells, Easton and Bricelyn.

Two Wells men, 20-year-old Andrew Charles Kleinow and 27-year-old Shane Lawrence Santoro, are suspects in those burglaries and were charged last month. They were arrested Jan. 21 after a man saw them pulling out of his driveway after they allegedly burglarized his Minnesota Lake home.

Kremer is not a suspect in the burglaries, said deputy Todd Duit of the Faribault County Sheriff’s Department.

“There was nothing showing (Kremer) at the residence,” Duit said. “He just had the property.”

A 56-inch television, stereo, computer, DVD players, DVDs and 76 videotapes were taken from Kremer’s home during the first search there Monday, Duit said. No charges related to the stolen property have been filed against Kremer.

A second search warrant was executed by the drug task force after the bag of hallucinogenic mushrooms was found. The task force brought a drug dog to the house, and the dog led investigators to a wall safe. The marijuana, “black rock” substance and cash were found in the safe, the complaint said.

Kremer is not the only person living in the house. But the stolen television and a key to the safe were found in his room, the complaint said. Investigators reported they found the key hidden in a clock on Kremer’s bed.

Kremer’s bail was set at $50,000 with conditions or $100,000 without conditions Wednesday. He posted a $100,000 bond and was released from jail Thursday. He was at his home Thursday afternoon but declined to comment about the allegations.



Free Press correspondent Mickey Tibbits contributed to this report.