Multiple Drug Arrests in St. Cloud Area

ST. CLOUD -- Many drug related arrests have been made over the past week in the St. Cloud area.

The Central Minnesota Violent Offender Task Force searched five St. Cloud area homes and recovered drugs, drug paraphernalia or firearms from each location.

On Friday, July 1 police searched a home on the 1600 block of 33^rd Avenue North in St. Cloud. A small amount of marijuana and drug paraphernalia was found. Thirty-year-old Jason Krause of St. Cloud was in the home, had an outstanding warrant and was taken into custody.

On Tuesday, July 5 police searched a house at 1012 Killian Blvd. in St. Cloud. Synthetic marijuana and 45 Xanax Pills were found in one of the bedrooms of the home. The person living in the bedroom was not home at the time of search but could face drug charges. The case has now been sent to the Sherburne County Attorney Office for review.

On Wednesday, July 6 police found a small amount of cocaine at 702 McKinley Place South in St. Cloud. Two people at the home had outstanding warrants and were taken into custody, 23-year-old Michael Hipp of St. Cloud and 48-year-old Nathan Rue of St. Cloud. Both men were taken to the Stearns County jail.  Police called the St. Cloud Health Department to inspect the home and it was condemned due to poor conditions.

On Thursday, July 7 two searches were done at the same time at 817 Golfview Lane #6 in St. Cloud and 934 Longview Drive in St. Cloud. Police believed the people living at each location were connected. Firearms were present at each location so SWAT teams from St. Cloud Police and Sherburne County Sheriff Office conducted the searches. At 817 Gulfview Lane, items associated with the sales of controlled substances were found. The resident of the home 29-year-old Dylon Aronson of St. Cloud, was taken to the Stearns County Jail and is pending charges of 2^nd degree sales of methamphetamine.

At 934 Longview Drive, methamphetamine and firearms were found. The resident of the home 28-year-old Jason Rau of St. Cloud was arrested for 4^th degree sale of controlled substance and for the sale of a short barrel illegal shotgun. Both sales were made during this investigation.

Two other people were also discovered to have outstanding warrants and they were arrested, 37-year-old Nathan Zirbes and 42-year-old Robin Thompson.

It was also discovered that Thompson had a current order for protection barring him from any contact with his minor children. Officers discovered the children made been staying at the home with him for the past 2 weeks. Thompson faces additional possible charges of violation of an order for protection. The children were released to a relative.

The case has now been sent to the Sherburne County Attorney’s Office for review. Police called the St. Cloud Health Department to inspect the home and it was condemned due to poor conditions.

Yesterday (Friday) police searched the home of 1223 1^st Street North in St. Cloud. A small amount of methamphetamine was found in a bedroom along with many items of drug paraphernalia. The resident, 41-year-old Shannon Remme of St. Cloud, was arrested and later released on 5^th degree controlled substance possession charges. Another person at the home, 30-year-old David Castillo of St. Cloud had an outstanding warrant. Castillo was arrested and taken to the Stearns County jail.

Investigators from the St. Cloud, Little Falls, and Sauk Rapids Police Departments, along with deputies from Stearns, Sherburne, Todd, Morrison and Benton County Sheriff Offices make up the Central Minnesota Violent Offender Task Force.