Thief River Falls (trfnews.i234.me) — A St. Paul man faces felony drug and other charges after an arrest near a Cenex gas station.
The arrest happened April 29 in Thief River Falls.
The complaint did not state which Cenex gas station was involved.
Robert Wayne Parker Jr., 37, of St. Paul, has been charged with felony third-degree controlled substance crime.
He also faces charges of obstructing arrest and theft.
Complaint Details Arrest
According to the complaint, a police investigator ordered Parker to place his hands on a building.
Parker allegedly failed to follow that order.
The complaint did not state why the investigator had stopped him.
The investigator then conducted a pat-down search.
During the search, Parker allegedly began pulling away from the investigator.
The investigator then brought Parker to the ground and handcuffed him.
Stolen Item Allegedly Found
Parker had a backpack with him during the arrest, according to the complaint.
Inside the backpack, investigators allegedly found a Milwaukee spotlight.
The spotlight had been previously reported stolen from Ace Hardware.
Parker also admitted stealing the backpack from the business, according to the complaint.
Authorities said the backpack contained other items tied to the drug charge.
Drug Residue Allegedly Tests Positive
The backpack allegedly contained a clear pipe with burn residue.
It also allegedly contained a pen with residue.
Both residues had a presumptive positive test result for methamphetamine, according to the complaint.
A presumptive test is an early field test.
It may later be reviewed through additional testing or court proceedings.
Third-degree controlled substance crime is listed under Minnesota Statute 152.023.
Obstructing legal process or arrest is listed under Minnesota Statute 609.50.
Minnesota theft law is listed under Minnesota Statute 609.52.
The charges are accusations at this stage.
Parker is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.
I’m Chris Harper reporting for TRF News.