Coke Sale to Informant Leads to Drug Dealing Bust at Rochester Home

Rochester, MN (KROC-AM News)- A controlled drug buy conducted by a police informant led to the bust of a drug sales operation in Rochester. 

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That’s according to a criminal complaint filed in Olmsted County Court on Friday. 

Rochester police conducted the controlled buy earlier this month and executed the search warrant last week. 

Rochester Man Accused of Selling Informant Over 30 Grams of Cocaine

24-year-old Jose Alejandro Santillan Ortega of Rochester is accused of selling the informant 30.3 grams of cocaine. 

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Police supplied the informant with $1,100 of pre-recorded dollar bills, the complaint says.

Detectives then executed the search warrant at a home in the 1900 block of 8 ½ St. SE. 

Bills from Controlled Buy Found During Search Warrant

The court document states officers found 2.4 grams of cocaine, a scale with cocaine residue on it, drug packaging materials and $3,386 in cash. 

$860 of that cash came from the $1,100 in cash used for the controlled cocaine purchase, the court document says. 

Santillan Ortega is charged with one count of first-degree drug sales. 

He was released without bail following his first court appearance on Friday and is due back in court later this Spring.