Wis. man arrested for pushing drugs in Austin

Published 7:17 am Wednesday, July 7, 2010

A 20-year-old Wisconsin man faces felony drug charges for allegedly trying to peddle his product at an Austin convenience store.

Mark Phillip Schultz was charged Friday in Mower County court with one count each of fourth-degree drug sales and fifth-degree drug possession. He is scheduled for arraignment on July 15.

According to a criminal complaint, Schultz was in the KwikTrip on Fourth Street Northwest on June 30 when he approached a 20-year-old clerk about buying drugs. The clerk later told police that the man had asked if he wanted “treats,” to which the 20-year-old said no. The clerk said the man, along with two others he was with, then headed to the nearby Burger King.

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Police confronted the three as they left the restaurant. Schultz, who the clerk identified as the man pushing the drugs, denied talking to anyone at KwikTrip. Officers then searched backpacks that each of the three were wearing. In the one being worn by a 19-year-old man with Schultz, they found eight capsules that contained 0.5 grams of a powdery substance, later identified as methamphetamine.

Schultz said the bag belonged to him, but he said any drugs in it belonged to the 19-year-old. However, the other man with Schultz later told authorities that he saw Schultz put the drugs in the bag while the 19-year-old wasn’t paying attention.

That man also said be believed Schultz had the drugs ecstasy and acid.

After arresting Schultz, police spoke with him in jail about the incident. He admitted that the drugs in the bag were his, but he said he had given them to the 19-year-old to repay a debt. He also claimed the substance authorities found was ecstasy, not meth.

Schultz also admitted to confronting the man at KwikTrip, the complaint states.