On December 15, 2025, at approximately 7:25 P.M., Saint Paul Officer Foy was driving in the area of Cedar Street and 5th Street, Saint Paul, County of Ramsey, when he observed a blue 2017 Chevrolet Malibu traveling east on 5th Street. The vehicle turned south on Cedar Street without signaling the turn. Shortly after, the driver raised his phone up in his right hand. The phone screen was illuminated. Officer Foy activated squad emergency lights and initiated a traffic stop on the vehicle. The vehicle stopped in front of [ADDRESS REDACTED]. Officer Foy approached and made contact with the driver.
The driver said he used his turn signal, but it may have turned off as he was turning. He admitted he had his cell phone in his hand as he was driving. The driver did not have identification and verbally identified self as DESEAN CURTIS ROBEL WATKINS, [DOB REDACTED]. WATKINS had a suspended driver’s license. Officer Foy smelled the odor of fresh marijuana from inside the vehicle and observed marijuana shake on the center console. Upon inquiry, WATKINS said he had a baggie of marijuana in the driver’s door.
WATKINS removed the baggie and showed it to Officer Foy. WATKINS was asked to exit the vehicle. WATKINS consented to a search of his person. During the search, a pill bottle was found in WATKINS’s left jacket pocket. WATKINS said the jacket was not his and he did not know about the pill bottle. Officer Foy removed the bottle and opened it. Inside the pill bottle, there was a clear plastic baggie with a white powder. WATKINS was arrested. At the LEC, WATKINS was advised of his Miranda rights. He spoke to Officer Foy.
WATKINS admitted smoking marijuana two hours prior to the traffic stop and using ecstasy two days prior. He was at his mother’s house prior to the stop. He needed a jacket, grabbed a random jacket form the closet, and put it on. He did not know to whom the jacket belonged. WATKINS said he is not a cocaine user. Officer Kinn conducted presumptive tests on item #1, labeled 3.5 grams of suspected cocaine with packaging, result positive for cocaine, net weight 2.97 grams.
