Austin man charged with selling meth to informant; Drug paraphernalia found in residence where child lived

Published 8:15 am Thursday, September 27, 2018

Simon Ponciano Lera, 40, of Austin was charged on Wednesday in Mower County District Court with felony second-degree sales of 10 grams or more of a narcotic other than heroin within a 90-day period, three counts of felony third-degree drug sales and felony storing methamphetamine paraphernalia in the presence of a child.

Simon Ponciano Lera, 40

According to the court complaint, narcotics detectives met with a confidential reliable informant (CRI) on March 13 about purchasing methamphetamine from Lera, who he also knew as “Jesus Estrada.” The CRI was searched and provided with buy money and an audio transmitter. He then met Lera at his residence in the 900 block of Second Avenue Northeast and purchased 3.44 grams of methamphetamine, which he then surrendered to the police.

Email newsletter signup

The CRI made another purchase from Lera later that day for 3.164 grams of methamphetamine, the complaint states. He also arranged purchases on March 22 and May 1 for 6.973 grams and 0.896 grams of methamphetamine respectively.

Police conducted a search warrant on Lera’s residence on Sept. 13.

The complaint said Lera was not at the residence, but police seized drug paraphernalia, including methamphetamine pipes, a small amount of methamphetamine and a digital scale with methamphetamine residue. A woman at the residence, who said she lived there with her minor child, said the paraphernalia belonged to Lera.

Police then returned to the residence on Monday and made contact with the same woman, who said Lera was not there and that she had not seen him in “awhile,” according to the complaint. However, she later admitted that she knew he was inside the residence after police found him hiding in the bathroom.

Lera will appear in court again on Oct. 8.