Plea Deal for Rochester Man Found With Drugs, AK-47 in Vehicle

Rochester, MN (KROC-AM News)- A Rochester man entered a plea agreement to settle a drug case this week.

Read More: AK-47, Cocaine Among Items Seized During Rochester Traffic Stop

He was charged with second, third and fifth-degree drug possession in January. The charges were the result of a traffic stop in northwest Rochester on the night of Jan. 25.

The criminal complaint, filed against 40-year-old Somnith Thuo of Rochester, says a Rochester Police Officer stopped him for an inoperable brake light that failed to signal a turn near the intersection of 11th St. and 2nd Ave. Northwest.

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The charges allege the officer saw open beer cans and a 9mm bullet inside of the vehicle. The odor of fresh marijuana was also present.

A subsequent search of the vehicle led to the discovery of a handgun, a 13.5 grams of cocaine, 19.9 grams of psilocybin mushrooms and a digital scale, and an AK-47 that was stored in the vehicle’s truck, the complaint says.

TJ Leverentz/TSM Rochester

Thou agreed to a plea agreement that calls for him to admit to the third-degree drug charge in exchange for the dismissal of the two other drug counts, according to the Olmsted County Court document.

Thou was sentenced to two years of probation and has been given the opportunity to have the drug conviction taken off of his record if he follows the terms of his probation.