Stolen trampoline springs drug arrest; Man arrested on intent to sell charges
Published 10:29 am Wednesday, December 7, 2016
Police looking for the legs of a stolen and discarded trampoline Saturday wound up arresting a 73-year-old-man for possessing drugs with the intent to sell after he passed them on a bike and hid 4.42 grams of methamphetamine in the grass.
![Rogelio Rodriguez-Sanchez](https://www.austindailyherald.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/15/2016/12/Rodriguez-SanchezRogelio.jpg)
Rogelio Rodriguez-Sanchez
Rogelio Rodriguez-Sanchez appeared in court Tuesday on charges of fourth-degree drug possession with the intent to sell and fifth-degree drug possession, both felonies.
According to the Austin Police Department and court records, two officers were responding to the discarded trampoline found in a resident’s lawn around 5:30 a.m. on Dec. 3 in the area of the 1000 block of Fourth Street Northwest when an officer saw an older man ride by on a bike and stop on the sidewalk in front of a home on that block.
The officer watched the man, later identified as Rodriguez-Sanchez, approach the house and appear to ring the doorbell. The man walked from the doorstep down to a row of shrubs on the property line, bent down, moved some leaves and picked up a white, golf-ball sized item, which he then put back, covered with leaves and walked toward his bicycle.
Police then approached the man and questioned him, learning he did not live at the residence; however, he said he was going to talk to the property owner about a job raking leaves. He denied putting anything in the grass.
However, police then found plastic bag containing 4.42 grams of methamphetamine hidden beneath leaves. Rodriguez-Sanchez continued to deny putting the drugs there, even after an officer told him he’d witnessed him placing it there.
Police arrested Rodriguez-Sanchez and spoke to the property owner, who said she did not hear Rodriguez-Sanchez ring her door bell and did not know him.
Police also seized $160.83 that was on Rodriguez-Sanchez.
Police were, however, unable to find any suspects for the stolen and discarded trampoline, and they were initially unable to find an owner. Police briefly took it for storage, but the owner called later and it was returned.