NAYTAHWAUSH, Minn. (trfnews.i234.me) — A Naytahwaush woman faces a felony drug charge in Mahnomen County. The charge follows a reported disturbance on Jan. 25. The case was filed in Mahnomen County District Court.
The disturbance call was reported at 414 S. Tower Road in Naytahwaush. The complaint says family members were trying to stop Erika Dawn Bellanger from leaving. That detail appears in the court record.
Erika Dawn Bellanger is charged with fifth-degree drug possession. Under Minnesota Statute 152.025, that charge is a felony. The complaint lists a maximum penalty of five years in prison. It also lists a possible $10,000 fine.
What the complaint says
According to the complaint, Dawn Kier saw Bellanger using a “foily” in a kitchen. The filing says Kier took the item away. It says she then placed it in a metal can.
The complaint says Bellanger was later found inside a locked bathroom. The filing says she was upset. It also says she asked for her auntie. The complaint says Bellanger said she wanted treatment.
The filing says Bellanger told authorities she was pregnant. It also says she admitted using methamphetamine earlier that day. The complaint says a bindle was found in her hand.
According to the filing, Bellanger agreed to a search of her backpack, jacket, and makeup bag. The complaint says the search found a glass smoking device. It says Bellanger said she used it to smoke methamphetamine.
The filing also says a smaller makeup bag held many small plastic zip-lock bags. Those details are listed in the probable cause section of the complaint.
The filing says Bellanger was later taken to another address. It says the bindle was then brought to the sheriff’s office. The complaint says the powder and packaging weighed about 0.5 grams.
Charge details
The complaint says the powder in the bindle was later field-tested positive for fentanyl. But the charge section describes the case as methamphetamine possession. That difference appears in the same court filing. It may be addressed later in court.
Court records show the case was filed in the Ninth Judicial District. The court file number is 44-CR-26-55. Bellanger has not been convicted. The charge is an allegation until proven in court.
What comes next
Readers can track the case through the Mahnomen County District Court. They can also review the law through the Minnesota Revisor’s Office.
I’m Chris Harper reporting for TRF News.