Beltrami County ( trfnews.i234.me ) — A Pennington man is facing felony drug and misdemeanor DWI charges following a May traffic stop in Bemidji.
According to court records filed in Beltrami County District Court, 36-year-old Robbie James Cournoyer Sr. has been charged with fifth-degree felony drug possession and fourth-degree DWI. The charges stem from a May 18, 2025, stop in the city of Bemidji.
Police say an officer observed a white SUV near 10th Street Northwest and Bemidji Avenue. The driver appeared impaired, displaying droopy eyelids, glassy eyes, and constricted pupils. The SUV also emitted loud exhaust noise. After pulling the vehicle over, officers identified the driver as Cournoyer. He admitted to using fentanyl a week earlier.
Officers conducted field sobriety testing and observed tremors and other indicators of impairment. Cournoyer was arrested and transported to the Beltrami County Jail, where he provided a urine sample under a search warrant. The sample was sent to the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension for analysis.
During a search of the vehicle, officers found a backpack containing Cournoyer’s identification and a nicotine container filled with a white powder. Field testing indicated the substance was fentanyl, weighing 1.8 grams with packaging. The sample was also forwarded to the BCA for laboratory confirmation.
Cournoyer has a lengthy criminal history with multiple prior felony convictions for drug possession in Hubbard and Cass Counties dating back to 2015. His record also includes convictions for fleeing police and providing a false name.
If convicted, he faces up to five years in prison and a $10,000 fine on the drug charge, and up to 90 days in jail and a $1,000 fine on the DWI charge. The case remains active in Beltrami County District Court.
For more information on fentanyl and its risks, readers can visit the DEA Fentanyl Fact Sheet.
I’m Chris Harper reporting for TRF News.
