Man Charged in Rochester Drug Trafficking Case Has Skipped Bail

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Rochester, MN (KROC-AM News) - The defendant in a major Rochester drug case has jumped bail.

46-year-old Jon Michael Ask was scheduled to appear in Olmsted County Court for a hearing yesterday but failed to show up. The judge presiding over the hearing immediately issued an order forfeiting the bond he earlier put up to meet his $100,000 bail and issued a warrant for his arrest.

Ask faces three first-degree drug charges and two lesser felony drug offenses connected to an investigation into fentanyl trafficking in the Rochester area that began earlier this year. According to court documents, the investigation led to a traffic stop on I-35 near Albert Lea in July and a search of the vehicle resulted in the discovery of fentanyl-laced pills, some cocaine and marijuana, around 80 rounds of ammunition, and a fake ID card.

Rochester police reported that, following the traffic stop, investigators executed a number of search warrants at residences in northwest and southeast Rochester. At one of the homes, police found more than 7 pounds of the fentanyl-laced M30 pills and took Ask into custody.

While he was free on bail following his arrest in that case, Ask was arrested for a second time in September. Rochester police indicated they were conducting surveillance on him, and after he got into a vehicle, investigators pulled it over and executed a search warrant that led to the seizure of 48 grams of crack cocaine.

Rochester police also executed search warrants at his home and on another vehicle that led investigators to find 137 grams of cocaine, another 14 grams of crack cocaine, 37 grams of methamphetamine, 88 grams of a substance that tested positive for fentanyl, meth, and cocaine, along with 11 grams of ecstasy.