A police stop for a minor traffic violation in Eagan led officers to recover methamphetamine, multiple rifles and bags of cannabis from a vehicle, according to the complaint.
James Darwin Weatherford, of Prescott, Wisconsin, faces five charges in Dakota County District Court: possession of a firearm by an ineligible person, fifth-degree drug possession, failure to carry proof of insurance, driving after revocation and possession of cannabis in a motor vehicle.
At about 12:07 a.m. on October 15, an Eagan police officer on patrol saw a vehicle fail to stop behind the white line at the intersection of Slater Road and James Street. The officer ran the vehicle’s registration and learned the registered owner, identified as James Darwin Weatherford, had previously been stopped multiple times for driving without a valid Minnesota driver’s license. The officer noted that the driver matched the registered owner’s description and initiated a traffic stop.
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According to the complaint, Weatherford was driving and had a front seat passenger. The officer learned Weatherford’s Minnesota driving privileges were revoked and his Wisconsin instructional permit was expired. Weatherford provided proof of insurance that had expired in June 2026 and could not produce current proof of insurance.
While standing outside the vehicle, the officer detected the odor of unburnt marijuana and saw marijuana shake scattered across the center console. The officer decided to arrest Weatherford for driving after revocation, citing concerns that Weatherford would continue to drive without a license. The passenger did not have a valid license either.
Officers began an impound inventory and probable cause search of the vehicle, based on the odor of marijuana, visible marijuana shake and open marijuana packages on the back seat. Weatherford repeatedly asked officers to let someone else retrieve the vehicle. During the search, officers found five plastic bags containing suspected cannabis in a child safety seat on the back seat.
They also found a plastic bag containing a crystal substance between the driver’s seat and the center console. A preliminary test indicated the substance was methamphetamine, weighing 3.18 grams.
In the backseat area, officers recovered several bolt action rifles, rifle barrels and rifle stocks, the complaint states.
The charges filed October 19 include possession of a firearm by an ineligible person, which alleges Weatherford was prohibited from possessing firearms due to a prior crime of violence, as well as fifth-degree drug possession for the suspected methamphetamine. He is also charged with failing to carry proof of insurance, driving after revocation and possessing an open package of cannabis in a motor vehicle.
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Jurisdictional Context
Dakota County, immediately south of Saint Paul, is Minnesota’s third-largest county by population. The Dakota County Attorney’s Office prosecutes felonies through the First Judicial District; cases are heard at the Dakota County Judicial Center in Hastings.
