Thief River Falls (trfnews.i234.me) — A Thief River Falls man faces felony drug charges. Authorities say 77.4 grams of meth were found during a traffic stop.
Matthew Peter Stengrim, 31, is charged in Pennington County District Court. He is charged with first-degree meth possession. He also faces a fifth-degree controlled substance charge.
He is also charged with obstructing a peace officer and fourth-degree DWI. He was arrested on a Red Lake County warrant, too.
The Red Lake County case was filed the day before this stop, court records say. The 2026 felony charge involves electronic messages to a child, investigators allege. The report dates to July 2025.
Authorities say Stengrim knew the teenage girl. They say he used Snapchat to send sexual messages. They also allege he sent an explicit video.
Traffic stop details
The stop happened around 10:44 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 10, the complaint says. A Minnesota Department of Natural Resources officer reported a fast vehicle on 140th Avenue.
The complaint says the vehicle swerved across the road. Another driver had to move to avoid a crash, according to the complaint.
The officer stopped the vehicle and contacted Stengrim. The complaint says he was crying and acted erratically. Backup arrived from the Minnesota State Patrol and the Pennington County Sheriff’s Office.
Search of the vehicle
Investigators say Stengrim did not follow commands during the arrest. They say he tensed up and would not stop moving. Officers and Stengrim fell to the ground, the complaint says.
He was handcuffed and taken to the Pennington County Jail, authorities say. Officers then did an inventory search before towing, the complaint says.
Investigators reported finding a syringe with liquid near the driver’s seat. They also reported a bag with a scale and suspected meth.
They also reported suspected mushrooms and a bottle of pills. The complaint says the pills included amphetamine and dextroamphetamine tablets.
Authorities say a field test was positive for meth. They say the suspected meth weighed 77.4 grams. A field test was also positive for psilocybin, they say.
They say the mushrooms weighed 21.1 grams. Additional testing is expected by the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension.
Interview and history
Investigators say Stengrim admitted to using meth the day before. Authorities also reported fresh needle marks on his arm.
They say he admitted to driving into an oncoming lane. The complaint says a blood or urine warrant was approved. A urine sample was sent for lab testing.
Prosecutors also listed prior convictions in court records. Those records include past fleeing, burglary, and drug cases.
State court records can be searched through the Minnesota Judicial Branch.
I’m Chris Harper reporting for TRF News.
Give him all 77 grams at once see how he likes it then 🙃
Pedo and drug dealer
Lock him up
Is he meth or Snapchat perv? Earlier the article was the same guy talking to a minor
He likes to meth around with kids butsth