Bail set for remaining 5 in drug sting

Published 10:15 am Wednesday, July 30, 2008

Bail was set Tuesday for five more defendants snagged as part of a reverse sting operation last Friday and Saturday.

Juan Gerardo Monroy, 41, received $1 million bail or $100,000 with conditions for a first-degree drug possesion charge stemming from his arrest at the Hardees parking lot on 12th Street Northwest Friday at 3 p.m. According to court records, Monroy, of Austin, also faces a second first-degree drug charge from March 2008, as well as felony aggravated forgery from his Friday arrest.

Bail for Paul Anderson Cerny, 40, was $250,000 or $25,000 with conditions. Cerny, of Austin, has been charged with second-degree drug possession for allegedly seeking 0.5 ounces of cocaine from a confidential informant working with authorities. He was arrested at 6:16 p.m. Friday at the Hardees parking lot.

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Matthew Paul Jenson, 23, of Austin, must pay $100,000 or $10,000 with conditions. He and Philippe Eke Okorie, 21, were charged with single counts of first-degree and fifth-degree drug crimes for allegedly purchasing cocaine at the Kmart parking lot at 7:11 p.m Friday. Okorie’s bail was $500,000 or $100,000 with conditions. Both are from Austin.

William Alvarez, 34, has been charged with third-degree drug possession for an alleged Saturday deal at Apollo Superette around 6:18 p.m. His bail was set at $500,000 or $100,000 with conditions. Alvarez pleaded guilty June 6 to a drug charge stemming from an April search warrant. His sentencing for that crimes is Sept. 19.

Five others appeared Monday for bail hearings. A total of nine were taken into custody Friday, and one Saturday, for allegedly purchasing cocaine or marijuana from a police informant working with Austin police, the Mower County Sheriff’s Office, the Southeast Minnesota Narcotics and Gang Task Force and the Central Minnesota Task Force.