Theft, drug suspect changes plea

A woman involved in cases of theft and drugs in Austin changed her plea to guilty Monday in Mower County Court.

Erika Ashley Hall Anderson, 25, pleaded guilty to fifth-degree drug possession and theft, both felonies.

According to the court complaint, Anderson was with a man who was banging on a window at an Austin home on Jan. 28. The man was making threats with an extendable baton toward someone inside. The homeowner called police, and the man left and returned about 20 minutes later and continued banging on a window. Police say the matter was related to another case involving a different man charged for credit card fraud.

Police found this suspect, Jose Lopez Soto Jr., 38, within a block of that home, along with Anderson and arrested them. Anderson, who was charged for driving without a license and giving a false name to an officer, previously pleaded guilty and was fined $210. That car was later searched, and police reportedly found 2.65 grams of meth, for which both Soto and Anderson were charged.

In a previous case, Anderson was charged with mail theft in December. That court complaint states Soto and Anderson were at the 1300 block of Oakland Place Southeast on Dec. 28 when Anderson stole a UPS package containing $1,772 worth of prescription medication off of a porch.

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