WILLMAR -- Jared John Netzke, 22, of New Ulm, was sentenced Wednesday to 120 days in the county jail, a $1,500 fine and 20 years of probation on third-degree drug possession for his role in selling methamphetamine to a drug task force informant in February.
As part of a plea agreement reached in Kandiyohi County District Court, the charge was reduced from second-degree drug possession. Netzke was also ordered to cooperate with a chemical use assessment and follow the recommendations, get a job and make an affirmative effort to get his GED.
Netzke and Esteban J. "Stevie" Ramos Jr., 24, of Willmar, were both charged after the Feb. 17 incident.
Ramos faces a second-degree drug sale charge, plus charges for fifth-degree drug possession and possession of a pistol or assault weapon by someone convicted of a violent crime. He also faces a first-degree drug sale charge for allegedly selling 12.7 grams of meth Aug. 20 to a CEE-VI Drug Task Force informant. His next appearance is May 13.
According to the complaint, a confidential informant for the Brown-Lyon-Redwood Drug Task Force informed agents that he could buy meth from Netzke, but that they had to go to Willmar to get the drugs.
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The informant was provided with $800 for the purchase and drove Netzke to Regency West Estates in Willmar. There, Ramos allegedly sold Netzke the drugs. While they were driving back to Brown County, the vehicle was stopped and searched. The meth was located in a compact disc case. Netzke agreed to cooperate with agents and told them he'd purchased the drugs from Ramos in the trailer court.
CEE-VI Drug Task Force agents were granted a search warrant for Ramos' trailer home.
Agents entered the home to find Ramos hiding in the shower with a bag of marijuana at his feet.
They also noted the toilet had been flushed, with the bowl still filling with water. They found three plastic bags with less than a quarter-gram of meth in them in Ramos' pocket.
They also found a digital scale with meth residue and a .22-caliber handgun and magazine.
The charges for the Aug. 20 drug sale allege the informant purchased a total of 12.7 grams of meth from Ramos in three separate purchases along the 1600 block of U.S. Highway 12 East and in the park next to Lincoln Elementary School.
