The officer initiated a traffic stop and made contact with the driver, identified as JUAN JOSE RIVERA [DOB REDACTED]. While speaking with RIVERA about the purpose of the stop RIVERA indicated he was aware that the registration was expired. RIVERA provided some explanation for why the vehicle was being driven without proper registration, but later offered contradictory information. While speaking with RIVERA the officer noted several indications of controlled substance use displayed by RIVERA. The officer confirmed that the 2025 registration sticker displayed on the vehicle belonged to a separate vehicle that was flagged as being junked.
The officer also confirmed that RIVERA had a revoked driving status. The officer identified the passenger in the vehicle as MICHAEL WILLIAM HUTH [DOB REDACTED], who was confirmed not to be a valid driver. While continuing to investigate the display of 2025 registration on an expired vehicle, the officer learned that RIVERA had been stopped for a similar issue recently and that both RIVERA and HUTH had criminal history that included controlled substances. Multiple registration stickers were removed from the vehicle that belonged to other vehicles.
When asked about that RIVERA then changed his story about ownership of the vehicle and began to claim he was just performing maintenance on the vehicle. RIVERA was placed under arrest for gross misdemeanor attempt to escape tax. HUTH was asked to exit the vehicle as it was going to be towed and offered a courtesy ride to a gas station where he could wait to get a friend to pick him up. HUTH indicated he had a knife on his person. A protective search was conducted which resulted in the officer feeling a bulb stem pipe used to consume methamphetamine in HUTH'S pocket.
HUTH told the officer that there was methamphetamine in the pipe. A further search of HUTH resulted in the discovery f a baggie containing methamphetamine. The substances located on HUTH field-tested positive for methamphetamine and weighed a total of 2.0 grams with packaging. RIVERA was transported to the jail by Officer Asfeld. When the defendant was removed from the rear of the squad the officer observed broken glass in the back seat where RIVERA had been seated, and had not been in the squad when Officer Asfeld began his shift or when RIVERA had been placed into the squad.
A review of the rear seat squad camera showed RIVERA digging an object off his person and attempting to place it into the gap where the seatbelt connects to the seat. Among the fragments from the pipe was a substance that field-tested positive for the presence of methamphetamine and weighed 0.1 grams. PLEASE TAKE NOTICE: Pursuant to Minn. Stat. 609.49, intentional failure to appear for duly scheduled court appearances may result in additional criminal charges, and in addition to any arrest warrant that may otherwise be issued by the Court.
