Brown County District Court

• Jacob J. Garcia, 18, 716 Water St. S.W., Sleepy Eye, was charged July 18 with felony fifth-degree drug possession-not small amount marijuana. Bail without conditions was set at $15,000, $5,000 with conditions. A court appearance was set for 8:30 a.m. July 26.

According to court documents, Sleepy Eye Police Chief Matt Andres got a phone call from Brown County Probation at 8 a.m. July 18 asking officers to check a residence at 716 Water St. S.W., Sleepy Eye, for Garcia who had an active arrest warrant.

Andres and Brown County Sheriff’s Deputy Randee Murphy knocked on the door at 8:25 a.m. and Garcia’s mother answered the door and said he was at home. Searching for Garcia, officers saw drug paraphernalia on a table and found Garcia hiding behind a water heater and arrested him. He said all the drug items belonged to him.

Officers found a green, leafy substance that appeared to be marijuana, a pipe with residue and a butane torch, another baggie with what appeared to be marijuana, another pipe, butane torch, grinder, another pipe and biggie with a green, leafy substance and a straight glass pipe associated with methamphetamine use.

Officers found a mirror with white, powder residue on it, a $100 bill and a butane torch below a shelf on the floor. A baggie found contained white powder and crystals that appeared to be methamphetamine. It tested positive for methamphetamine and totaled 1.7 grams.

• Felony fifth-degree drug possession-not small amount marijuana, gross misdemeanor driving after cancellation and misdemeanor open bottle possession and giving peace officer false name charges were filed against Jesse A. Wise, 48, Blaine, July 18. A bail hearing was set for 11:30 a.m. July 19.

According to court documents, Minnesota State Patrol trooper Brennon Brase was on routine patrol at 1:21 a.m. July 16, southbound near Brown CR 13 when he saw a pickup truck traveling northbound on CR 22 at a speed greater than 55 mph. Brase activated his front opposite radar and got a 70 mph reading and stopped the suspect vehicle.

Brase asked the driver multiple times about his name and birthday and believed the suspect was lying about his name and birthday, saying he was Robert Allen Thompson. He later said his real name was Jesse Allen Wise.

Brown County Sheriff’s Deputy Jason Fairbairn inventoried the suspect vehicle and found a clear baggy with a white, crystal substance. A meth pipe with residue found tested positive for methamphetamine and weighed seven grams. Wise has multiple fifth-degree drug offenses since 1996.

• A gross misdemeanor violation of a restraining order charge was filed July 18 against Lazarous L. Thomas, 36, 308 S. Front, New Ulm. A court appearance was set for 8:30 a.m. Aug. 16.

According to the complaint, New Ulm Police Patrolman Trevor Kruse talked on the phone on July 13 to an individual about a potential violation of an Harassment Restraining Order (HRO), issued Nov. 16, 2021 prohibiting Thomas from contacting the individuals. The HRO is valid until Nov. 16, 2023.

The caller said earlier in the evening, she got a Snapchat notification on her phone that Thomas wanted to be her friend. She said the user identification for the account that sent the request also was under the “added me” section. Above the user ID was the Snapchat display name Lazaro Thomas.

Police tried to contact him on two phone numbers but they were disconnected. Thomas had a previous qualified domestic violence-related offense conviction on Oct. 29, 2018 in Martin County Court for 3rd-degree assault.

• Felony fifth-degree drug possession-not small amount marijuana and petty misdemeanor possession of drug paraphernalia charges were filed July 18 against Justin R. Geiger, Red Wing Correctional Facility. A court appearance was set for 8:30 a.m. Aug. 16.

According to the complaint, New Ulm police were dispatched to the Microtel Inn & Suites, 424 20th South St. at 12:48 p.m. June 5, 2021 for a man who did not leave his room, was overdue on checkout and was using methamphetamine.

Patrolwoman Sara Pruett and Cpl. Tara Martin arrived and contacted Geiger in Room 216. They noticed a glass pipe appeared to contain burnt methamphetamine residue. Patrolman Erik Byro learned Geiger provided consent to search the hotel room and his vehicle. K9 Dino “alerted” to a narcotic odor in the vehicle, and Geiger was arrested. Dino alerted in multiple areas of the room and in the vehicle.

Byro believed observations were indications of narcotic trafficking and sales. Geiger was convicted of first-degree controlled substance sale in court on Oct. 12, 2015.

• A felony register an ineligible voter charge was filed July 21 against Joshua A. Lang, 821 4th Ave. S.E., Sleepy Eye. A first appearance was set for 8:30 a.m. Aug. 9.

According to court documents, the Brown County Attorney’s office referred a voting registration violation they received from the Brown County Auditor’s Office involving Lang. According to Brown County voter information records, a “voter record” was added to Lang’s voter ID Aug. 27, 2020. He is a convicted felon and ineligible to vote due to three Brown County felony convictions.

On July 4, a Brown County sheriff’s investigator got a copy of Lang’s driving record and a copy of the credential violation completed Aug. 25 by Lang in which he answered “yes” to a question of if he wanted to be registered to vote.

According to court records, at the time Lang signed the voter certification he was on probation for felony threats of violence from March 28, 2016 to March 28, 2021. Probation condition number 16 read “do not register to vote or vote until discharged from probation and your civil rights fully restored.