RED LAKE COUNTY (trfnews.i234.me) — A pair of drug-related traffic stops and several other incidents kept Red Lake County deputies busy in the final week of October, according to a report released by Sheriff Mitch Bernstein.
On the evening of October 24, 2025, a deputy stopped a vehicle for a moving violation on Bottineau Avenue in Red Lake Falls. The driver, identified as Chandler Lee Erickson, 25, of Red Lake Falls, was found to have marijuana that was not properly packaged. Erickson was cited for a misdemeanor cannabis open package violation, and the marijuana was seized.
Just after midnight on October 25, 2025, another traffic stop led to a felony arrest. Deputies stopped a vehicle on Highway 92 in Brooks and discovered the driver, Robert Thomas Whiting, 41, of Duluth, holding a meth pipe and a butane lighter. Deputies noted that Whiting appeared to be under the influence, and additional methamphetamine was found inside the vehicle.
Whiting was arrested and booked into the Crookston jail on charges of felony possession of a controlled substance, misdemeanor DUI, and driving after revocation. He appeared in court on October 17 and was ordered to pay $1,500 cash bail for release. He remains in custody, with his next court appearance scheduled for November 5 in Red Lake Falls. Two adult passengers, also believed to be under the influence, were released to a sober party at the scene.
Other incidents reported by the Red Lake County Sheriff’s Office include:
- October 25: A Red Lake Falls resident reported knocking on house windows. Deputies provided extra patrol, but no suspects were located.
- October 26: Assistance was given to the Polk County Sheriff’s Office in a predatory offender registration case. The investigation remains active.
- October 28: Deputies began investigating city ordinance violations at Sportsman’s Park in Red Lake Falls. The matter remains under review.
- October 28: A shoplifting incident was reported at Eagle Square. A juvenile suspect and their parents met with deputies and store staff to resolve the issue.
- October 30: Deputies responded to a disturbance in Lambert Township involving a mother and teenage daughter. The situation was mediated without charges.
- October 30: A barking dog complaint in Oklee was resolved after deputies spoke with the animal’s owners.
For more information on drug enforcement in Minnesota, visit the Minnesota Department of Public Safety.
I’m Chris Harper reporting for TRF News.
