A man was seen on a city surveillance camera near Lake Street and First Avenue South in Minneapolis conducting hand-to-hand drug sales and pouring suspected narcotics onto tinfoil for others to smoke, according to the complaint.
Gerald Wallace Broadnax, 31, faces three charges: felony third-degree drug sale, felony fifth-degree drug possession and misdemeanor fleeing a peace officer by a means other than a motor vehicle.
The complaint states that on September 10, 2026, Minneapolis police officers were monitoring a mobile camera in an area known for frequent narcotics activity and overdose calls. Officers observed Broadnax interacting with about six people, exchanging cash for suspected narcotics. He was seen removing a jar from his sweatshirt pocket and either handing suspected narcotics to individuals or pouring from the jar onto tinfoil, which officers recognized as a method used to smoke narcotics.
READ MORE → Hennepin County coverage
After these transactions, officers saw several people smoking suspected narcotics off tinfoil after meeting with Broadnax. Officers then located Broadnax in the area. When he saw police, he fled on foot despite commands to stop. He was eventually stopped by a squad car.
In a post-Miranda statement, Broadnax admitted he knew the people pursuing him were police and that they were ordering him to stop. He told officers he ran because he was in possession of fentanyl, but denied pouring any contents from the container onto tinfoil or giving away fentanyl. Officers found this inconsistent with what they had observed on camera.
During a search incident to arrest, officers found $131 in cash and a plastic bindle containing 0.70 grams of white powder that field-tested positive for fentanyl. They also recovered the plastic jar seen on camera, which contained 0.41 grams of fentanyl. Officers did not find any drug paraphernalia such as tinfoil, straws or pipes on Broadnax, which they noted indicated he was not using the drugs himself.
The charges were filed October 28 in Hennepin County District Court.
Related MN CRIME Coverage
230 Grams of Meth Found, Man Charged in Minneapolis Raid • Minneapolis Man Charged With Cocaine and Fentanyl Sales • Minneapolis Man Charged After Deputies Find Broken-Up Kilo of Cocaine, Gun
Jurisdictional Context
Hennepin County is Minnesota’s most populous jurisdiction. The Hennepin County Attorney’s Office handles felony prosecutions across Minneapolis and 44 other cities; the Fourth Judicial District presides over felony arraignments and trials at the Hennepin County Government Center in downtown Minneapolis.
