Couple plead not guilty to gun, drug charges
Published 11:29 am Friday, March 15, 2013
The second suspect charged in Mower County for illegal gun possession and drugs after a traffic stop pleaded not guilty Thursday.
Bonnie Lee Sutton, 31, of Austin, pleaded not guilty Thursday to being a felon in possession of a firearm, felon in possession of a stun gun and fifth-degree drug possession. Michael Donovan Krauss, 42, pleaded not guilty to those same charges last week.
Sutton also pleaded not guilty to possession of a dangerous weapon in a courthouse. The arresting officer removed a knife from Sutton’s purse as she was leaving Mower County Court, according to the court complaint.
An officer stopped Sutton and Krauss, of Austin, in their vehicle on Highway 218 south of Austin on Feb. 15 after Krauss reportedly drove 10 mph over the speed limit. The officer discovered Krauss had neither a Minnesota driver’s license nor proof of insurance. The officer also smelled marijuana in the car, according to the Mower County Court complaint, and found 80 grams of weed in the glove compartment. The officer also found a 9mm pistol and ammunition.