6 people charged in heroin ring bust

Published 6:31 pm Saturday, June 18, 2016

Six people were charged in Mower County court Friday after a sting by local law enforcement and federal agencies found 110 grams of drugs.

At 5:53 a.m. on June 16, Austin police and United States Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) agents executed a search warrant at 802 12th Avenue SW.

Stephanie Lynn Behrends, 30, of Austin and Brianna Constance Kay Ober, 21, of Owatonna were in the home and are known associates of a drug dealer.

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Police seized about 30 grams of heroin and 80 grams of crack cocaine. The suspects showed officers the drugs were located in Ober’s shoes near the front door.

Officers also gathered information on each suspect through informants and observed drug sales to arrest the other suspects.

Untitled-1The following people were charged in the incident:

•Behrends was charged with two counts of felony first-degree drug possession, both subsequent offenses. Her next appearance is scheduled for June 23.

•Ober was charged with two counts of felony first-degree drug possession. In separate case, she was charged in March with felony aid or abet second-degree drug sales in a park zone. Her next appearance is scheduled for June 30.

•Tangela Patrice Jones, 32, of Austin was charged with felony second-degree drug sales and two counts of felony third-degree drug sales. Her next appearance is scheduled for June 23.

•Ernest Pitchford, 36, and Carolyn Michelle Molhusen, 25, both of Austin, were charged with felony second-degree drug sales and four counts of felony third-degree drug sales. Pitchford’s next court appearance is scheduled for June 23, and Molhusen next appearance is scheduled for June 30.

•Amy Beth Wagner, 25, of Austin is charged with felony second-degree drug sales in a park zone and felony third-degree drug sales, both subsequent offenses. Her next appearance is scheduled for June 30.