Citizen alert leads to arrest in theft

By DAWN SLADE
Mille Lacs County Times
Posted 11/7/02

A concerned citizen spotted a suspicious event that led to one manís arrest.

On Saturday, Nov. 2, at approximately 11:20 p.m. that person saw a vehicle drop off and pick up a male in the area of the Mille Lacs Soil Service, just west of Milaca on Highway 23, where anhydrous ammonia is stored.

Mille Lacs County Sheriffís Deputy Gregg Weller received the call and located the vehicle described in the report. The vehicle was headed southbound on Highway 169, just south of Pease.

The driver stated she was bringing a friend home - Nathan James Moench, 24, of Elk River.

She told the officer Moench had put something in a black plastic bag in her trunk and that it started to smell right away.

Weller could smell anhydrous ammonia immediately upon approaching the vehicle at the traffic stop.

The driver agreed to a vehicle search and Weller found several items related to the manufacture of methamphetamine (meth), including Toulene, gloves, coffee filters, duct tape, pseudo-ephedrine, lithium batteries, a small scale and a propane torch.

Inside the black plastic bag was a two-gallon gas can which tested positive as anhydrous ammonia.

In with Moenchís belongings was an email printout regarding meth use, a probation agreement regarding criminal drug charges in Sherburne County and an address book with names and telephone numbers of known convicted drug felons.

Mille Lacs County Deputy Dan Holada, Princeton Police Officer Joe Backlund, and Undersheriff Alan Marxhausen assisted Weller with the arrest.

Because ammonia cannot be contained in plastic and because of the dangers involved with anhydrous ammonia, the Milaca Fire Department was called in.

The firefighters neutralized and safely disposed of the ammonia.

Moench has been charged in Mille Lacs County District Court with an attempted controlled substance crime in the first degree - manufacturing methamphetamine.

The maximum penalty is not less than half of four years in prison nor more than half of 40 years in prison and/or not more than half of a $1,000,000 fine.

Moenchís criminal history includes a prior conviction for the manufacture of a controlled substance in the first degree and a controlled substance in the fifth degree in Sherburne County in August, 2002.

Because he violated his probation agreement, Moench is likely to see an increased sentence in Sherburne County.

At Moenchís initial hearing on Monday, Nov. 4 in Mille Lacs County District Court, conditional bail was set at $40,000 and unconditional bail was set at $100,000.

Moench is currently in the Mille Lacs County Jail.

Neither the driver nor another female passenger were charged with any crimes.