Police: Drug ring broken

Published 12:00 am Saturday, January 18, 2003

A narcotics ring trafficking methamphetamine drugs in Mower County has been broken, according to law enforcement officials.

Federal charges will take precedence over other charges for five of the suspects.

Among those arrested is Peter George Noe, 25, the reputed leader of the Inland Empire Peckerwood chapter. Noe has been linked to the Inland Empire, a prison gang with roots in Riverside, Calif., by local law enforcement and prosecutors.

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Friday's arrests were made pubic at a Friday afternoon press conference at the Austin-Mower County Law Enforcement Center.

Mower County Sheriff Terese Amazi, Mower County Attorney Patrick W. Flanagan and Austin Police Chief Paul M. Philipp were tight-lipped -- at the U.S. Attorney General's instructions -- about the details surrounding the arrests Friday morning in Austin, Lyle and Rochester.

"It's been a long day, but a very productive day," Amazi said.

Numerous search warrants were executed simultaneously at 6:30 a.m. Friday by local, state and federal law enforcement officers.

The residences searched in Austin were 2106 East Oakland Ave., 805 Third Ave. SW and 505 21st St. NE. Also searched were 103 Pine St., Lyle, and 1206 17th Ave. NW, in Rochester.

Federal arrest warrants were served on five individuals believed to play key roles in the narcotics ring.

A United States Grand Jury, which convened in St. Paul, brought indictments against:

n Peter George Noe, 25, currently incarcerated in the Mower County Jail, is charged with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine for a role in the distribution and sale of more than 500 grams of meth. Also, Noe is charged with conspiracy to distribute marijuana for a role in the distribution and sale of 220 pounds of marijuana.

n Timothy James Schultz, 21, currently incarcerated in the Mower County Jail, is charged with conspiracy to distribute meth and possession with intent to distribute approximately one pound of meth.

n Terry Lynn Bauman, 29, of Austin, is charged with conspiracy to distribute meth and distribution of meth.

n Amy Marie Placek, 40, of Austin, is charged with conspiracy to distribute meth and distribution of meth.

n Michael Arthur Clennon, 21, formerly of Austin, but living in Rochester, is charged with conspiracy to distribute meth.

All search warrants were served without incident.

Noe and Schultz remain in the Mower County Jail, awaiting transfer to federal courts.

Bauman, Placek and Clennon were transferred to St. Paul to appear before a federal magistrate and placed in federal custody.

Amazi, Flanagan and Clennon would only say the search warrants were the result of a lengthy criminal investigation into the conspiracy to distribute meth in Austin and throughout Mower County from January 2000 through September 2002.

Time after time Friday, reporters pressed for details, but learned little. Officials did say additional arrests are expected in the case.

Police chief Philipp said he "hoped" the arrests have made an impact on drug trafficking.

"Certainly we hope it makes a significant impact in the community," Philipp said, "and we hope it sends a message that this kind of activity is not acceptable in our community."

"Nor in the county," Amazi added.

Amazi credited law enforcement agents with the successful investigation, leading to the arrests, and said no one arrested Friday was cooperating with authorities.

As far as additional arrests, prosecutor Flanagan observed, "We have a lot of people on the radar screen."

"The Austin Police Department would like to thank all of the assisting agencies and attorneys for their generous assistance in this extremely significant case," Philipp said.

Approximately 50 officers, deputies, agents and K-9 teams from the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, Drug Enforcement Administration, State Gang Strike Task force and Southeast Minnesota Narcotics Task force assisted the Austin Police Department and Mower County Sheriff's Office in the largest joint narcotics effort conducted in Austin and all of Mower County.

Only two weeks ago, a major drug raid was conducted on a mobile home in the village of Lansing, which netted a large amount of meth, cash, guns and equipment used to manufacture false identifications.

The volume of the drugs (meth and marijuana) mentioned in the federal indictments leading to Friday's arrests puts the latest drug seizure far ahead of the Lansing raid in both volume and street value of the drugs, according to law enforcement

Also playing a significant part in the Friday events were the Minnesota Attorney General's Office, U.S. Attorney's Office and Flanagan, Philipp said.

Lee Bonorden can be contacted at 434-2232 or by e-mail at :mailto:lee.bonorden@austindailyherald.com