Repeat Rochester Drug Offender Sent to Prison For 3rd Time

Rochester, MN (KROC-AM News) - A Rochester man with a history of felony drug offenses is headed back to prison following convictions tied to a plea deal involving two Rochester drug busts.

In the first case, Olmsted County Court records indicate that 45-year-old José David Talamantes was charged in the fall of 2023 with first-degree drug sales and drug possession in connection with a traffic stop that led to the seizure of nearly 400 grams of methamphetamine. The criminal complaint says the drugs, along with more than $1,000 in cash and four cell phones, were found in a fanny pack that was in his possession.

Plea Deal Involved 2 Drug Busts

Court documents also show that Talamantes was arrested in January 2024 following a traffic stop in downtown Rochester. The criminal complaint in that case says the arresting officer reported that Talamantes was displaying signs of impairment, prompting the officer to conduct field sobriety tests.

According to the criminal complaint, after Talamantes was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence of a controlled substance, a search of his vehicle led to the seizure of 28 grams of methamphetamine.

He was charged with second-degree drug possession and two misdemeanor counts of DWI.

Under the terms of a plea agreement, Talamantes entered guilty pleas to a third-degree drug possession charge and one of the DWI offenses stemming from his arrest last year. In exchange, prosecutors agreed to dismiss the other DWI count as well as the first-degree drug charges connected to the seizure of nearly 400 grams of methamphetamine in the earlier case.

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Talamantes Ordered to Prison For Third Time

Talamantes was sentenced today to just over five years in prison. He was given credit for 18 days already spent in jail.

This is the third time Talamantes has been sent to prison for drug offenses. Court records show he was given a 92-month prison sentence for a second-degree drug sale conviction in 2015 and was ordered back to prison for 24 months after being convicted of another felony drug charge in Mower County in 2020.

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