Daniel T. Stanger

NEW ULM — A 28-year-old man caught in a drug sting in New Ulm last May faces four first-degree drug sale charges in Brown County District Court.

According to a Minnesota warrant issued Wednesday, Daniel T. Stanger, Lino whose last address was the Lakes Correctional Facility, was charged two counts first-degree sale of 17 grams or more methamphetamine within 90 days — conspiracy plus two counts of first-degree drug sale — aiding and abetting.

According to court documents, a Drug Task Force Agent (DTF) told New Ulm Police he was in contact with a Confidential Informant (CI) who said a person could supply them with methamphetamine in New Ulm.

Agents conducted surveillance at a New Ulm business and two other residences. An agent saw the informant exit the business before a white SUV pulled into the parking lot without a passenger, then leave the parking lot with a passenger.

The white SUV was seen pulling up to a 7th North Street residence. The driver left the vehicle, met an unidentified man at the front door, then returned to the SUV and drove away. Agents positively identified the driver as Stanger.

An agent observed the SUV pulled up to a Center Street residence where Stanger was known to be residing. The agent saw the vehicle occupied by Stanger and person who was to supply an ounce of meth for $600.

At the meet location, the CI turned over a sandwich bag that contained a crystal substance. At the Blue Earth County Justice Center, the purported meth weighed 27.9 grams after removing package weight. A small sample of the crystal substance tested positive for meth.

On May 8, an agent was in contact with a CI who was in contact with a person who agreed to sell a quarter pound of meth to the CI for $2,200.

Agents watched the same locations as the previous incident. An agent observed a green 2004 Toyota Camry registered to Stanger. Another agent observed a gray Chevy four-door sedan at a business. Another agent observed a white SUV used in the previous transaction at Stanger’s Center Street address.

About the same time the CI was contacting the meth seller about the planned transaction, another agent observed the green Camry leave the 7th Street North address. Another agent observed the same vehicle pulled into Stanger’s Center Street address a minute later.

The agent saw Stanger get out of the vehicle, enter the residence and return about 11 minutes later with a small, blue backpack, get into the Camry and sit in it for several minutes.

The agent observed Stanger drive away in the Camry before it was observed at the 7th North Street address, where Stanger took the backpack inside.

The CI got a phone call from a man who said the deal would occur in a business parking lot in New Ulm. An undercover (UC) vehicle arrived at the parking lot and waited. A short time later, a gray Malibu Classic with left front side fender damage entered the lot and drove to meet the CI, who exited their vehicle and met with a man who sold the meth.

Half the money was counted by each person before a man grabbed a plastic bag and took out the meth in a Ziploc baggy. The CI exited the vehicle, got into the UC vehicle and placed the meth in plain view and exited the location.

At the meet location, the CI got out of their vehicle and handed an agent the meth. A quarter-pound (4 oz) of meth was transported back to the Blue Earth County Justice Center to be processed as evidence.

On June 9, the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension reported the meth purchased on May 1 weighed 27.5 grams and 110.5 grams on May 8; and both substances contained meth.

Stanger’s criminal history indicated he was convicted of a first-degree controlled substance crime and felon in possession of a firearm on June 23, 2013 in Stearns County.