Three arrested Thursday, 23 lbs cocaine and meth recovered from Rochester hotel, 34.5 more from Cannon Falls man’s car
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(ABC 6 News) – Rochester police arrested three individuals in a Thursday, Sept. 22 drug investigation.
According to court documents, officers executed a search warrant on Elliot Wilkens of Cannon Falls at 126 20th Street SE, Rochester.
According to court documents, when officers pulled him over, they searched 24-year-old Wilkens’ vehicle for suspected stolen property and instead found evidence of narcotics.
Officers obtained another search warrant and reported finding the following quantities of drugs in his car:
- Approximately 11.5 pounds of what officers believe is cocaine
- Approximately 1 pound of what officers believe is methamphetamine
- Approximately 7 pounds of what officers believe is fentanyl
- Approximately 15 pounds of what officers believe is marijuana
Wilkens faces three 1st-degree drug sale charges, three 1st-degree drug possession charges, one 3rd-degree, and one 5th-degree drug possession charge.
According to court documents, Wilkens told officers 29-year-old Coby McKinley and 41-year-old Venus Marquez Melendez of Red Wing were staying at a NW Rochester hotel and also had a large quantity of drugs with them.
From top left: Coby McKinley, Venus Marquez Melendez, Elliot Wilkens / Olmsted County Adult Detention Center
RPD identified McKinley and Marquez at the hotel, carrying bags and coolers to a vehicle.
Once detained, Marquez Melendez reportedly told officers that there was a large amount of methamphetamine in the vehicle.
After a search warrant was obtained, police allegedly found around 17 pounds of cocaine and 6 pounds of methamphetamine in the vehicle.
Court documents indicate that the substances were intended for sale, as the weight is higher than a person would possess for their own use.
McKinley and Marquez face two charges each of 1st-degree drug sale and 1st-degree drug possession.
Wilkens is currently awaiting arraignment at the Olmsted County Adult Detention Center. McKinley appears in court Monday on unrelated traffic charges, and Marquez Melendez was released on bail Monday.
Her next court appearance is scheduled for Oct. 3.