On June 20, 2016, Tyler Scott Olson, was convicted of controlled substance crime in the first degree in violation of Minnesota Statutes section 152.021, subdiv. 1(1). On December 31, 2025, officers with the Rochester Police Department were preparing to execute a search warrant in southeast Rochester, Olmsted County. As they stood by near the premises, a pickup truck drove to the home. A man, later identified as Olson, got out of the truck and walked to a white van parked in the driveway. Olson rummaged through the white van for a moment before returning to his truck and driving away.
Officers followed Olson and saw that the registration on his truck was expired. Based on both the registration violation and the odd behavior near the white van, they stopped the truck. As they approached, they smelled the strong scent of freshly burnt marijuana. One of the officers saw "shake" (i.e., small bits of cannabis) on the truck's cupholder. After confirming Olson's identity and proof of car insurance, officers asked if he had been smoking marijuana in the vehicle. Olson replied that he had smoked in the car several hours earlier.
Officers explained that marijuana was now treated like alcohol. While adult recreational use is lawful, it may not be used on the road. And an opened package of marijuana is treated like an opened bottle of liquor. They asked Olson to step out of the truck. As he did so, they saw a set of brass knuckles and an unsheathed fixed-blade knife in the driver's door. Based on the likely open-package violation and the illegal brass knuckles, officers decided to search the truck. They found several open-packages of marijuana, specifically in the form of loose cannabis packed into pipes.
One of the pipes appeared to have been used shortly before the stop. Officers also found a bottle of suboxone with six doses. In the center console, they found a safe. One of the officers recognized it as a brand of safe marketed to transport firearms. Within, they found a black 9mm Polymer 80 pistol. PLEASE TAKE NOTICE: YOU MUST APPEAR FOR EVERY COURT HEARING REGARDING THIS CASE. FAILURE TO APPEAR FOR COURT IS A CRIMINAL OFFENSE AND MAY RESULT IN ADDITIONAL CRIMINAL CHARGES BEING IMPOSED AND PUNISHED AS PROVIDED IN MINNESOTA STATUTES SECTION 609.49.
