Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

A man out on bail for first degree drug sales in a school zone, was arrested again Thursday during a joint effort between three law enforcement agencies.

Patrick John Dion, 40, was arrested at around 1:45 p.m. Thursday and a search warrant was executed in the 500 block of Fourth Street NW by the Southeast Minnesota Violent Crimes Enforcement Team, Austin Police Department and Mower County Sheriff’s Office.

Dion made a first appearance Friday afternoon in Mower County District Court and has since been charged with first degree drugs-aggravated controlled substance crime with two aggravating factors and first degree drug possession 100 grams or more-cocaine or methamphetamine.

Both are felonies.

According to APD Captain Todd Clennon Friday morning, the arrest came after a long investigation into Dion for trafficking methamphetamines. 

According to court documents, Dion met with an APD detective at the Law Enforcement Center to return property from a prior incident and was subsequently arrested. Dion denied having drugs at his residence, however, when the search warrant was executed at the residence, a large bag of methamphetamine was discovered on the sink in the bathroom. When asked how much there was, Dion allegedly responded that there was three pounds.

However, the amount recovered was 2.5 pounds of methamphetamine according to the complaint, located along with items associated with the use and sales of methamphetamine. 

The residence raided was in the school zone of Pacelli Catholic Schools.

In the pending case, Dion has been charged with first degree drug sales of 17 grams or more of cocaine or meth within a 90 day period in August of 2023. His next appearance in that case in Jan. 25.

According to court documents Dion has a lengthy court history, including a sentence of 21 months in prison in 2017 after he was convicted for fifth degree drug possession.

He was also sentenced that year to 27 months in prison for felony third degree assault.

Dion’s next court appearance is scheduled for Feb. 1.