Man faces felony for having drugs in a park zone

Published 6:23 am Thursday, April 22, 2010

An Austin man who was previously deported faces several criminal charges, including aggravated forgery, stemming from a reported domestic assault Sunday.

Francisco Hernandez-Lemus, 32, was charged Tuesday in Mower County court with one count of the forgery charge, as well as with one count of misdemeanor domestic assault. He also faces a single count of third-degree drug possession for having narcotics in a “park zone,” which is a felony.

Hernandez-Lemus is in custody on $100,000 bail, or $50,000 with court conditions, and is scheduled for arraignment April 29.

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According to a criminal complaint, a 21-year-old female called police on Sunday morning regarding an assault at her residence in the 200 block of Fourth Avenue Northeast. When authorities arrived, she appeared very upset, and had scratches on her wrist and neck. The woman said she had been in a fight with Hernandez-Lemus.

The woman, who knew Hernandez-Lemus, said an argument started the night before because she was mad about him selling and using drugs, the complaint states. The woman claimed she took her children to the nearby Mill Pond park Sunday morning and had a family member come and pick the children up.

The woman then returned to the residence to gather her belongings, which is when the alleged assault occurred. The complaint states that Hernandez-Lemus pushed her against a wall, grabbed her wrist and put his hand around her neck.

She was able to get away and call police, who arrived shortly thereafter. The woman told police about the alleged incident and also claimed that Hernandez-Lemus worked at Quality Pork Processors in Austin with an alias.

Police questioned Hernandez-Lemus about the alias, and he admitted that he used the name “Michael Angel Lara, Jr.” for work, the complaint states. He was then asked to leave the home while the woman packed up.

The woman next told officers she believed Hernandez-Lemus was selling drugs, and she consented to a search. Police found 2.8 grams of methamphetamine in a jacket pocket that likely belonged to Hernandez-Lemus, the complaint states.

After the meth was found, police executed a formal search of the home and also arrested Hernandez-Lemus, who was found near the municipal pool. The search uncovered no further narcotics, but authorities did find a number of documents linking Hernandez-Lemus to the fraudulent name.

Hernandez-Lemus was questioned at the jail, and he admitted that be bought between $300 and $500 of meth every few months for personal use. He also admitted that he purchased the fraudulent identification in California.

According to records, Hernandez-Lemus was deported from the U.S. in 2000.