District Court, Kandiyohi County
A 31-year-old Kandiyohi man made his first appearance Thursday in Kandiyohi County District Court on felony drug charges and gross misdemeanor child endangerment charges.
Jose Antonio Nieto-Garza was arrested after a search warrant was executed Tuesday at his home in the 300 block of Pacific Avenue in Kandiyohi. He has been charged with two felony counts of selling marijuana, one count of attempting to sell marijuana and two gross misdemeanor counts of child endangerment.
Between Dec. 20, 2005, and Feb. 15, Nieto-Garza sold marijuana twice to a confidential informant and an undercover agent with the CEE-VI Drug Task Force in a Kandiyohi convenience store parking lot, according to the criminal complaint.
The agent attempted to buy marijuana from Nieto-Garza a third time, but Nieto-Garza told the agent that he couldn't because his wife had sold it to her brother, according to the complaint.
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No one was home when the search warrant was executed at Nieto-Garza's house, the complaint said. The deputies found the house in an unlivable condition with junk and garbage covering the floors and furniture, according to the complaint. The house smelled of human and animal waste, and there was rotten food on the kitchen counters, the complaint said.
The deputies entered the bedroom of Nieto-Garza's daughter, who is 10 years old, and found it cluttered with garbage, the complaint said. Her room leads into a bathroom, where there was a dog kennel that contained animal waste, according to the complaint.
During the search, Nieto-Garza's wife came home, according to the complaint. She denied any knowledge of drug use or activity, the complaint said. The girl was placed in protective custody.
In an interview, Nieto-Garza said he had smoked marijuana in the house while his daughter was present, that he sold marijuana on approximately 15 occasions in the past year and that his wife has sold marijuana once or twice at their house, according to the complaint.
Judge Donald Spilseth set Nieto-Garza's unconditional release at $20,000 bond or cash and his conditional release at $5,000 bond or $500 cash. The conditions include not possessing or consuming alcoholic beverages or mood altering drugs, submitting to random drug testing, reporting to probation and cooperating with Kandiyohi County Family Services.
Goats run around Willmar street
WILLMAR -- A caller reported to Kandiyohi County dispatch at about 12 p.m. Thursday that goats had gotten out of a trailer on the corner of 11th Avenue and Second Street Southeast and were "running all over the place," according to a police report. Later, the person called back and said the goats had been loaded back into the trailer, the report said.
Property damage
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WILLMAR -- A Belgrade man reported Thursday morning that his vehicle had been damaged in the 2600 block of 15th Avenue Northwest in Willmar.
Assault
WILLMAR -- An 18-year-old man was arrested Wednesday night pending charges of assault and fleeing police.
He was arrested after police were called to an apartment in the 1200 block of 24th Street Northwest. The caller reported that people were destroying the apartment with baseball bats, according to police.
Fight
WILLMAR -- A fight between a 16-year-old girl and a 15-year-old girl was reported at 8:12 p.m. Wednesday in the Wal-Mart parking lot. Neither wanted to press charges, according to police.
Theft
WILLMAR -- The theft of a credit card was reported Wednesday afternoon in the 2400 block of 66th Avenue Northeast. A 19-year-old man is a suspect.
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WILLMAR -- The theft and forgery of a rebate check was reported Wednesday afternoon at the Kandiyohi County law enforcement center. A 26-year-old woman is a suspect.
Gun powder injury
BLOMKEST -- A 17-year-old boy burned his face Wednesday evening after playing with gun powder near a burning pit in the 19000 block of 30th Street Southwest, according to a police report. There was no information on his condition Thursday night.
