Rochester Traffic Stop Leads to Drug Sales Bust, Two Arrested

Rochester, MN (KROC-AM News)- A recent traffic stop in Rochester led to the discovery of a large amount of drugs and evidence of drug sales.

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Court documents, filed in Olmsted County Court on Wednesday, say the traffic stop occurred shortly before 2:30 on Tuesday afternoon. 

A Rochester police officer on patrol stopped a vehicle for running a stop sign and failing to signal a turn in the area of 2nd St. and 11th Ave. Southeast, the charges say. 

Charges: Evidence of Meth Sales Discovered by Police During Rochester, MN Traffic Stop

The driver, identified as 51-year-old Mark Anthony Heath, was displaying signs of impairment. He was ordered out of the vehicle for field sobriety testing, which he failed, the complaint says. 

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The arresting officer then found 25.56 grams of suspected methamphetamine and $1,252 in cash inside of the Rochester man’s jacket during a search incident to arrest, the court document says. 

The suspected meth was divided into individual baggies and was near a digital scale, which is indicative of drug sale activity, the charges say. 

A woman riding in the vehicle, identified as 35-year-old Jessica Jean Thatcher, was ordered out of the vehicle for a search.

The vehicle search led to the discovery of a backpack belonging to Thatcher that contained 5.92 grams of suspected meth, according to court documents. 

Heath and Thatcher were both taken to the Olmsted County Jail, where law enforcement collected a sample of Heath’s urine for testing. 

Heath is charged with one count of first-degree drug sales, a count of third-degree drug possession and misdemeanor DWI. Court records indicate Health has previously served an 158-month prison sentence for a first-degree drug conviction. 

Thatcher is charged with fifth-degree drug possession. Both Heath and Thatcher were released without bail following their first court appearances on Wednesday. 

Heath’s next court appearance is set for later this month and Thatcher is scheduled to return to court early next month.