Man wanted on drug possession, receiving stolen property charges

Published 7:04 am Thursday, February 25, 2010

An Austin man is wanted by police in connection with a raid of his business last November that turned up three stolen shotguns and methamphetamine.

John Herbert Merten, 33, is charged in Mower County court with a single count of fifth-degree drug possession along with three counts of receiving stolen property, all felonies. The arrest warrant and a criminal complaint were filed Tuesday.

According to the complaint, police searched Merten’s 1117 Fifth Place SE residence on the morning of Nov. 11. Inside the residence, which also housed his business, Alterior Motives, police found drug paraphernalia, 2.3 grams of meth, and the missing guns and their cases.

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Authorities also seized two cell phones and $86 cash during the raid, the complaint states. Merten was arrested during the search but later released.

Police determined that the shotguns had all been stolen during a recent burglary, although specifics of that incident were not given in the complaint.

According to records, Merten has a previous felony conviction for fifth-degree drug crime from 2008 in Mower County.