Teen Charged After Large Rochester, MN Drug Bust Near Elementary School

Rochester, MN (KROC-AM News)- The Olmsted County Attorney’s Office filed several felony drug charges against a Rochester teenager Wednesday. 

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The criminal complaint says Rochester police officers began surveillance of a potential drug sale operation after receiving reports from citizens of consistent short‐term traffic in a parking lot that indicated potential drug sales last month. The charges say detectives witnessed, “multiple and consistent hand to hand transactions,” while conducting surveillance. 

Police obtained a search warrant for the home, person and vehicle of 18-year-old Ezequiel Garcia‐Hall and executed it on June 13. The search began with a traffic stop after officers saw Garcia-Hall leave his residence near Franklin Elementary School in the 1850 block of 8th Ave. Southeast in a vehicle. 

The complaint says officers found multiple THC cartridges in the center console and a set of brass knuckles in Garcia-Hall’s pocket. The charges say search of the 18-year-old’s room turned up: 

Olmsted County Court documents also say Garcia-Hall’s mother, who was home during the search, told detectives she knows her son was using, selling and possessing drugs. The activity observed during surveillance and the discovery of multiple baggies and cash indicate drug sales, the complaint says. 

Garcia-Hall was arraigned Wednesday on two counts of first-degree drug sales, two counts of first-degree drug possession, a felony firearm violation and a misdemeanor weapons charge. He was released without bail but with conditions and is due back in court June 27.