Michael James Mercado

On May 2, 2026, Minneapolis Police Department Officer(s) responded to a call concerning a suspicious vehicle in the area of 34 Street East and 1st Avenue South, in Minneapolis. Upon arrival, officer(s) located the reporting party and the male suspect in the alleyway behind [ADDRESS REDACTED] in Minneapolis, Hennepin Avenue, Minnesota. Officer(s) learned the reporting party’s moped went missing earlier that day. The reporting party located a male suspect at the nearby Speedway driving their moped.

Reporting party then called 9-1-1 and followed the male suspect to the nearby alleyway before the moped stopped working. Reporting party then confronted the male suspect. Officer(s) spoke with the male suspect and identified him as Michael James Mercado [DOB REDACTED], "Defendant" herein. Defendant noted to officer(s) that he found the moped at a nearby lake. Defendant noted that when he was confronted by reporting party, Defendant gave him back the moped. In a post-Miranda statement, Defendant noted finding the moped and admitted that the moped is not his and that no one gave him permission to use it.

Defendant also admitted the recovered narcotics are fentanyl. Defendant was placed under arrest. Defendant noted he had fentanyl on his person. In a search of his person, suspected fentanyl was recovered. This substance filed tested positive as fentanyl and weighed approximately 0.05 gram without packaging. Defendant is currently in custody.