Four arrested following Thursday drug bust

Published 7:38 am Tuesday, June 22, 2010

A 22-year-old man and three juveniles were arrested Thursday morning following a drug raid in southeast Austin.

Eliseo Abel Munoz was charged Friday in Mower County court with three felony counts, including third-degree drug possession in a park zone. It is unclear if the juveniles will face charges.

According to a criminal complaint, the raid was executed at around 6 a.m. on Thursday at Munoz’s home, 500 Seventh Ave. SE, which is near Driesner Park.

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Members of the Austin Police Department, the Mower County Sheriff’s Office, and the Southeast Minnesota Narcotics and Gang Taskforce breached the front door with a battering ram. Inside, they found Munoz and a 14-year-old male in a downstairs bedroom, the complaint states.

The 14-year-old allegedly had a small bag of marijuana in his pocket, as well as a few .22-caliber shells. Other rounds of ammunition, including some expended shells, were found in the room, along with a .22-caliber rifle and a 20-gauge shotgun hidden between Munoz’s mattress and box spring, the complaint states. Authorities also found several pieces of drug paraphernalia in the room.

In a garage, members of the search team found two other teenagers, ages 15 and 14, who were sleeping. One of the two had a 2-gram bag of marijuana in his hand, the complaint states. On a nearby table, authorities located a light bulb that tested positive for methamphetamine, as well a marijuana bong.

After his arrest, Munoz admitted to police that he uses marijuana and meth, the complaint states, though he denied selling either. He also said that most of the drug paraphernalia found in the residence was his.

The defendant added that he was “holding” the guns for a friend, the complaint states. He said the shells that were found belonged to a .22-caliber revolver, which he had sold a week earlier.

Munoz is scheduled for arraignment on July 1.