ICYMI: Minnesota METH BUST—Trio Nabbed with $71,000 Cash in Motorcycle Shop RAID!
Three suspects face felony charges after police uncover drugs, cash, and weapons in a Grand Rapids, Minnesota motorcycle shop bust. 🌐 #News #GrandRapidsMN #Minnesota #News
GRAND RAPIDS, MN – Authorities in Grand Rapids, Minnesota, seized over $71,000 in cash, a rifle, ammunition, and bags of methamphetamine from a local motorcycle shop last week. The dramatic raid targeted the Hawg Pen, a business allegedly at the center of a drug-selling operation run by its 69-year-old owner, Steven Donald Storrs. Two others, Joe Patrick Stariha, 45, and Alexie Marina Charboneau, 30, also face serious charges tied to the investigation, which culminated in arrests on February 20.
Investigation Leads to Dramatic Arrests
The Aitkin-Itasca-Mille Lacs Violent Crimes Enforcement Team tipped off police that Storrs was peddling methamphetamine from his shop. For two months, law enforcement kept Storrs, Stariha, and Charboneau under close watch, using electronic surveillance and other methods.
On the afternoon of February 20, an officer using binoculars observed Storrs exchanging a clear plastic baggie with Charboneau and Stariha at the Hawg Pen. Shortly after, Charboneau left with a black bag and drove off with Stariha to a nearby motel.
Meanwhile, authorities tracked Storrs, pulling him over after he left the business. Showing signs of impairment, Storrs was arrested for driving under the influence, and his vehicle was towed when he refused a search.
Motorcycle Shop Yields Damning Evidence
A thorough search of the Hawg Pen revealed incriminating items.
Inside Storrs’ office, investigators found a rifle and ammunition. His desk drawer contained triple-wrapped baggies of suspected methamphetamine, while a black safe beneath the desk held a hefty stack of cash and a notebook listing names of known drug users and sellers in Itasca County.
Authorities also searched Storrs’ home, turning up live ammunition in the basement, loose pills in his son’s bedroom, and methamphetamine stashed in his own bedroom, kitchen cabinet, and pickup truck.
At the jail, Storrs refused to speak with investigators.
Motel Search Exposes More Drugs
At the motel where Stariha and Charboneau were staying, police arrived with a search warrant and found evidence of a hasty attempt to dispose of drugs. A torn plastic baggie and suspected methamphetamine lined the toilet rim and bowl.
Additional methamphetamine turned up in a small box on the dresser, scattered across its surface, and as residue on two digital scales on the bed. Green and yellow baggies, often used to package drugs for sale, were also uncovered, along with roughly $2,500 in cash.
Charboneau’s arrest during a traffic stop revealed nearly $30,000 in cash and more suspected methamphetamine in her purse.
Suspects’ Criminal Pasts Resurface
All three individuals have prior run-ins with the law.
Back in 2016, Storrs admitted guilt to a felony methamphetamine possession charge, earning an eight-year, seven-month prison sentence that was paused for a decade under a plea deal.
Stariha and Charboneau also carry criminal records, though specifics remain undisclosed in current court filings.
Storrs’ next court date is set for today at 3 p.m. in Itasca County District Court, with no attorney yet listed for him.
RELATED TOPICS: Crime | Minnesota
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