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NEW ULM -- A 29-year-old Mankato woman involved in a methamphetamine case last March in New Ulm made an Alford plea in Brown County District Court Wednesday.
Jennah M. Walters pleaded to an amended 2nd-degree felony controlled substance -possession of 25 or more grams of methamphetamine and felony theft charges. An Alford plea allows defendants to maintain innocence, while admitting the evidence them would likely result in a conviction. It is treated as a guilty plea in court.
Four other charges, including two counts of 1st degree drug sale of 17 grams or more of methamphetamine in 90 days and two counts of 1st degree drug possession 50 grams or more methamphetamine, were dismissed. Sentencing was set for 11:15 a.m., Monday, March 20.
Walters and two Mankato men were arrested near Harman Park in New Ulm after a Walmart theft report led to the seizure of a half pound of methamphetamine March 28, 2022, according to court documents.
Police were told a vacuum, die-cutting machine and smaller items were taken by a male suspect who left Walmart in a red Cadillac registered to a Mankato resident.
Police saw a red Cadillac matching the suspect vehicle's license plate traveling southbound on Garden Street, near 5th Street North. Officer Tara Martin stopped the vehicle with three occupants at 2nd Street North and Garden.
The driver identified himself as Todd J. King, whom officer Martin recognized as an individual who previously lived at Emerson Union apartments in New Ulm and was on federal probation. Officer Martin noticed the vacuum and die-cutting machine box in plain view. She identified the passengers as Walters and Michael A. Ritz of Mankato and learned there was a valid domestic assault no-contact order from Blue Earth County prohibiting Ritz from having contact with Walters.
Walters told police everything in the car was taken from Walmart without paying for it. Officer Martin removed all the Walmart items valued at $1,489 including tax, and saw a tube with residue, consistent with ingesting methamphetmine.
Officer Martin alerted New Ulm Police Sgt. Charles Rasche who found a meth pipe with several colored tubes, two black cylinders with a white, flakey shard-like substance consistent with meth, and a number of snack-sized baggies containing meth, indicating meth sales.
A Walmart loss prevention specialist provided police with video and photos showing Ritz pushing a shopping cart full of items and Walters walking next to him. In another photo, Ritz was seen unloading items into a rear door of the Cadillac.
A Walmart store manager told police he saw a man and woman with a cart full of items bolt toward an emergency exit to an awaiting vehicle without paying for the items.
The total amount of meth seized from the car was 225.9 grams, .49 pounds without packaging.