On May 7, 2026, officers observed a vehicle run a stop sign at the intersection of Oliver Avenue North and Lowry Avenue North, in the City of Minneapolis, County of Hennepin, State of Minnesota. Officers stopped the vehicle, and the driver verbally identified himself as Rhamal Powell ([DOB redacted]). Powell did not have a drivers license on him. Powell told officers that he was living in the vehicle. Officers learned that Powell’s license had been revoked. Officers smelled raw marijuana coming from inside the vehicle and observed a rolling tray and a scale with a white powdery substance on it from outside the vehicle.
Powell told officers that he had “weed in [his] pocket.” Officers had Powell exit the vehicle while they searched it. Officers located 24 methadone pills in the center console, a baggie containing approximately 96.71 grams of a powdery substance that field tested positive for cocaine in a storage container behind the driver’s seat, and a baggie containing 27.41 grams of a substance that field tested positive for cocaine in a hat. Officers placed Powell under arrest and located $3,196 in US currency on his person.
While in the rear of a squad vehicle, Powell called an unidentified individual and told them "They got me in the back of a police car, man. Somebody gotta come run interference bro. I'm booked man," "Just come do something to get they *** away from me, man. I’m in the car," and ""Oh man, yo, they got that ****out there." Video from the squad vehicle also showed Powell remove a baggie from his person, crush it into the floor of the squad vehicle, then conceal the baggie on his person. Officers recovered a baggie from Powell’s person while he was being booked, which contained approximately 4.86 grams of a substance that field tested positive for cocaine.
In total, officers recovered a total of 128.98 grams of cocaine from Powell's person and vehicle. Powell has multiple prior convictions for felony-level crimes including, but not limited to, attempted murder (Cook County, IL), 1st degree burglary in ••-CR-••-••••, prohibited person in possession of a firearm in ••-CR-••-••••, and multiple other controlled substance possession and firearm possession convictions from Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Illinois Powell is currently in custody.
