Drug Bust: Eagan Theft Suspect Arrested for Meth Possession
EAGAN, MINNESOTA - According to a criminal complaint from the Dakota County Attorney's Office, on Monday, January 27, 2023, at around 10:29 pm, officers with the Eagan Police Department were called out to Walmart on Town Centre Drive for reports of ongoing shoplifting. According to the criminal complaint, it was reported that three individuals were stealing items from inside the store. A fourth female suspect was reportedly waiting outside in a Mercedes Benz in the Walmart parking lot. As the Eagan officers arrived at Walmart, they were advised that the three individuals inside the store were at the registers paying for items but had separate items they were not paying for.
Officers confronted the three individuals and escorted them to loss prevention for further questioning. Officers searched the suspects and found the additional merchandise the individuals did not pay.
As officers were searching the suspects, one individual became argumentative and was placed in handcuffs. This person would later be identified as Charles Karrington Edwards. In addition to the merchandise, officers also found a baggie with a crystal-like substance that was believed to be methamphetamine. Officers also found a Tobacco container with a false battery compartment with drugs in it, a black baggie, a yellow baggie, and a small blue baggie, all of which had a white crystal substance in them that was also suspected to be methamphetamine. Officers also found other drug paraphernalia on Mr. Edwards, including bubble pipes. Edwards also had several credit cards and IDs with other people's names.
An agent of the Dakota County Drug Task Force performed a preliminary NIK test on the substances found inside the three baggies, with all three testing positive for methamphetamine. Police were able to confiscate a total of 16.68 grams of methamphetamine from Mr. Edwards, according to the complaint.
According to the criminal complaint, Charles Edwards was charged with a Felony 5th Degree Possession of a Controlled Substance (Possession) (Scheduled I, II, III, or IV/Except Small Amount of Marijuana), which comes with a 0 to 5-year sentence and/or a fine of $3,000 to $10,000.
Information on the other suspects in this case was not readily available. We contacted the Dakota County Attorney's Office for more information on this case, but they were not able to provide any additional information about the other suspects.
Photo by Scott Rodgerson on Unsplash
Written by: Kayla Reed
