In February 2026, your Complainant began investigating DUAN WAYNE CARTER JR., DEFENDANT herein, regarding an overdose death which occurred on or around January 24, 2026, in St. Louis Park. The decedent, a known adult female, was found deceased at her home by her mother after being unreachable for a day. When officers processed that scene, they recovered the decedent’s phone, a white powdery substance in a nightstand drawer by the decedent’s body, a $2 bill, a credit card, a baggie, and an iPad that appeared to have been used to ingest the substance.
The medical examiner ultimately determined the immediate cause of death was combined drug toxicity including fentanyl, cocaine, and ethanol. In the decedent’s phone, officers found the decedent was texting with a phone number on January 23, 2026, related to the decedent purchasing drugs from someone on that day. There were also historical text messages between the decedent’s phone and this other phone number regarding the sale and purchase of controlled substances. Law enforcement were able to identify the phone number that the decedent was texting as belonging to DEFENDANT. They identified his address as [ADDRESS REDACTED] North in Minneapolis, Hennepin County, Minnesota.
Officers began conducting physical and electronic surveillance of DEFENDANT in the months of February and March. On multiple occasions, DEFENDANT’S person and/or his vehicles moved in a consistent manner with the phone that had been texting the decedent, which is consistent with DEFENDANT using that phone. During the surveillance, officers observed that DEFENDANT often frequented his home on Humboldt and a business located at [ADDRESS REDACTED] in Minneapolis. Law enforcement databases showed that this business had a recent association with DEFENDANT’S significant other.
On one occasion, DEFENDANT was observed exiting the business and locking the external door. On other occasions, DEFENDANT was observed making short-term stops at the business. In the time officers conducted physical surveillance at the business, they did not see anyone besides DEFENDANT accessing the door except on one incident when DEFENDANT appeared to access the door with two men who appeared to be electronic contractors. On March 18, officers pulled garbage at [ADDRESS REDACTED]. The garbage was found to have mailers in DEFENDANT’S and his significant other’s name, along with a plastic shopping bag that appeared to have several missing pieces consistent with pieces being ripped off to create “tear-offs”. “Tear-offs” are often used by drug dealers to package smaller quantities of substances for individual sale.
On April 7, 2026, law enforcement executed search warrants at [ADDRESS REDACTED] North and 525 West Broadway, both in Minneapolis. DEFENDANT was present at the 3838 Humboldt address along with his significant other and a minor child. DEFENDANT was located near the northwest bedroom on the main floor. During searches of both premises and associated vehicles, officers recovered the following items of evidence. At 3838 Humboldt: 3 27-CR-26-8725 Filed in District Court State of Minnesota 4/8/2026 - In a silver Trailblazer which registers to DEFENDANT and his significant other, a loaded Ruger.380 pistol in a holster in the glovebox - In the main floor bedroom which appeared to be used by DEFENDANT and his significant other, five cell phones, 9mm ammunition in a dresser in main floor bedroom, and a.380 round and Ruger.380 box on the main floor bedroom - Miscellaneous ammunition in the upstairs attic bedroom - A shoebox above the fridge in the kitchen which held tear-offs and packaging At 525 West Broadway: - A bowl holding 28.32 grams of field-tested positive cocaine in the top drawer of a toolbox in the back storage room - A loaded Kel-Tec 9mm pistol in a locked safe in the storage room The quantity of drugs and packaging materials are both indicative of intent to sell.
