Leniency Granted to Rochester Man Arrested in Major Drug Case

Rochester, MN (KROC-AM News) - One of the two men charged in connection with a massive Rochester-based drug importing operation last year is being given an opportunity to have a felony conviction associated with the case stricken from his criminal record.

Court records show 27-year-old Jibril Abukar was accused of receiving a package allegedly sent from Arizona to his residence in southeast Rochester by 47-year-old John Michael Ask, who was the target of a drug trafficking investigation. The criminal complaint indicates investigators learned that Ask had mailed four packages from Arizona to Minnesota, including an 8 pound package that had been delivered to Abukar's home.

READ MORE: Second Man Charged in Massive Rochester Drug Importing Case

The court document says that led police to execute a search warrant at his residence that led to the seizure of 23 grams of crack cocaine, and 20 grams of an unidentified white powder. Police also confiscated a digital scale with powdery residue, numerous corners torn from bags that investigators say is indicative of drug packaging, materials indicative of "cutting" cocaine, and "many" suspected counterfeit $100 bills.

Get our free mobile app

During the course of the investigation, Rochester police also intercepted another package allegedly sent to Rochester from Arizona by Ask. The charges against Ask allege that it contained thousands of M30 fentanyl pills weighing approximately 7 pounds.

Ask is facing five felony drug charges, including two counts of first-degree drug sales and one count of first-degree drug possession. His case is still pending and he is scheduled for another court hearing in September.

Abukar was charged with first-degree drug sales and third-degree drug possession with his conditional bail set at $50,000. In June, Abukar entered into a plea agreement and admitted to the third-degree drug charge in exchange for the dismissal of the first-degree count.

He was sentenced earlier this week and was placed on probation for five years. Abukar was also granted a stay adjudication, which means the felony drug conviction will be dismissed if he successfully completes his probation.