Missouri man faces drug charges after Albert Lea traffic stop

Published 5:54 pm Monday, April 19, 2021

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A Kansas City, Missouri, man was charged in Freeborn County District Court on Monday with drug charges after he was allegedly found with marijuana, cocaine and Ecstasy during a traffic stop on East Main Street in Albert Lea.

Anthony Terrell Sanders, 28, faces charges of second-degree possession of cocaine or methamphetamine, second-degree possession of amphetamine/PCP/hallucinogens, misdemeanor possession of over 1.4 grams of marijuana in a motor vehicle and misdemeanor no Minnesota driver’s license.

Court documents state an Albert Lea police officer pulled Sanders over at 11:40 p.m. Sunday after he was clocked driving 41 mph in a 30 mph zone on East Main Street in a 2019 Jeep with Missouri plates, according to court documents.

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The officer reportedly noticed an odor of marijuana coming from the vehicle and when asked about the smell, Sanders initially pretended he could not smell anything, court documents state. After the officer asked a second time, the rear seat passenger stated he had a handful of approximately one-half inch to three-quarter inch ends of burned marijuana joints in his shoe.

In a search of the vehicle, officers reportedly found a small black fanny pack clipped up under the driver’s seat, with a bag containing 38.87 grams of marijuana, a silver scale covered in white powder, a large quantity of clean plastic bags, four bags containing a total of 31.45 grams of cocaine and a bag containing 117 Ecstasy tablets.

In a search of Sanders before he was arrested, an officer found $2,675 in cash, most in hundred dollar bills.

In court on the charges Monday, Sanders applied for a public defender.

District Court Judge Steve Schwab approved a $30,000 conditional bail and $60,000 unconditional bail.

Sanders is next slated to appear in court April 29.