WASECA — A Waseca man faces felony charges after police found more than 1,200 grams of cocaine in a residence plus a storage unit tied to him, according to a criminal complaint.
Derrick Lamarious Russell, 45, was charged with first-degree controlled substance possession with two aggravating factors Monday in Waseca County District Court. The aggravating factors included the quantity of drugs found and the transfer of drugs across state lines.
The criminal complaint states police used search warrants on four locations linked to Russell on April 12, finding about 1,225 grams of cocaine in the storage unit, 39 grams at the residence, as well as scales and baggies.
Investigators say Russell told them he wouldn’t put responsibility of the drugs on anyone else, with him saying they were in his possession. He reportedly said he owed about $20,000 in drug debt and was selling mostly to just friends using cash.
Russell had $4,500 in cash on him, according to the complaint, and indicated he was using it to buy cocaine brought to him from Chicago and Arkansas.
The storage unit belonged to a woman who told police she let Russell store items there, the complaint states. She reported she hadn’t been there since January 2023 and didn’t even had a key to it.
Russell has previous drug charges related to sales and possession. He has an initial appearance in court scheduled for April 29.