ABOVE: Winnebago Mayor Scott Robertson and his son, Jacob Jon Robertson. Submitted photograph.
WINNEBAGO — Winnebago Mayor Scott James Robertson, 67, and his son Jacob Jon Robertson, 46, had been arrested Thursday following a drug raid at three Winnebago properties.
Two counts of felony first-degree unlawfully cultivating 23 hashish crops, felony first-degree aiding and abetting unlawfully cultivating greater than 23 hashish crops and felony first-degree unlawfully cultivating greater than 23 hashish crops had been filed Friday towards the Robertsons in Faribault County District Court docket.
About 240 crops believed to be marijuana and lots of different objects of proof had been seized at 15/17 Fundamental Avenue, 522 1st Ave. S.W. and 18195 340th Avenue, in line with a South Central Drug Investigative Unit information launch.
An investigation by the SCDIU, Faribault County Sheriff’s Workplace, Faribault County Lawyer’s Workplace and different legislation enforcement businesses started in early 2023, in line with the information launch.
In line with courtroom paperwork, South Central Drug Investigative Unit Agent Briar Bonin obtained an nameless tip in January 2023 indicating the house owners and occupants of business grade greenhouses in Winnebago had been cultivating numerous hashish plant.
Agent Bonin contacted the Minnesota Division of Agriculture (MDA) and discovered that the property house owners/operators together with the Robertsons beforehand operated a licensed and controlled hemp cultivating operation via the MDA however didn’t register a 2023 hemp crop.
Agent Bonin requested the MDA carry out a web site inspection and take a look at any rising crops in 2023. MDA suggested that inspections require advance discover to the licensed get together. Agent Bonin discovered from witness data, that the Robertsons backed an enclosed trailer onto the property and used it to take away rising crops from inside greenhouses on the property.
In February 2023, the MDA inspected the property however discovered no crop rising in it.
This January, Agent Bonin was notified by nameless tip that the Robertsons had been cultivating numerous hashish crops within the greenhouses on the identical property. Agent Bonin discovered that Scott Robertson additionally owned business properties on 15/17 S. Fundamental Avenue in Winnebago.
Agent Bonin obtained a January report from Faribault Chief Deputy Scott Adams that whereas visiting a enterprise adjoining to fifteen/17 Fundamental Avenue, he smelled a powerful, unburnt marijuana odor that seemed to be coming from 15/17 S. Fundamental St.
Contacting MDA, Agent Bonin found that Scott Robertson’s hemp license expired in December 2023 and had not been renewed and that the Robertsons had not registered a hemp crop since 2021.
Conscious that indoor hashish cultivation requires excessive energy utilization throughout rising intervals for tools resembling develop lights, Agent Bonin issued a subpoena to BENCO Electrical to assessment electrical utilization information for Scott Robertson’s properties on Fundamental St. and at 340th Avenue. Electrical use information confirmed patterns suggestive of lively cultivation of numerous crops via January.
On Feb. 7, 2024, Agent Bonin observed a powerful scent of unburnt marijuana within the space of 15/17 South Fundamental St. The constructing had obscured home windows and didn’t seem to let gentle in or out of the constructing.
Agent Bonin utilized for and was granted a warrant to seek for hashish crops at each properties. Assisted by different activity power brokers and Faribault County Sheriff’s Workplace deputies, Agent Bonin executed warrants at each areas.
On the 15/17 S. Fundamental St. constructing, 55 crops constant in look with hashish crops had been discovered and producing flowers. The crops discipline examined constructive for marijuana, with a THC focus larger than .3. Not one of the crops matched recognized and registered hemp seeds/crops permitted to be grown in Minnesota. Registered hemp seeds and crops should have a THC focus of lower than .3%.
Executing a warrant on the 340th Avenue deal with, Agent Bonin found 185 crops rising in industrial greenhouses and a five-gallon bucket of obvious seeds.
Agent Bonin discovered a pocket book on the greenhouse with detailed descriptions of rows and strains within the greenhouses that matched many of the crops in it. The pocket book appeared to comprise monetary transaction data with dates as current as Jan. 8, 2024 and indicated associate revenue splits with shares of $120,000 for a complete revenue distribution of $360,000.
A separate search warrant obtained for 522 1st Ave. S.W. in Winnebago confirmed documentation from an organization often known as “elev.8,” a hashish seed provider. Documentation included seed pamphlets with seed costs and THC content material. Lots of the seed strains and plant names in pamphlets matched plant labels discovered within the 15/17 S. Fundamental St. constructing. Many of the strains within the pamphlet had a listed THC content material, all between 29 % to 32 %.
The Robertsons had been taken into custody.
Jacob Jon Robertson retained Mankato legal professional Patrick J. Casey Friday. An omnibus listening to was set for 1 p.m. March 25.
An preliminary look for Scott James Robertson was set for 8:30 a.m. Feb. 16.
The Robertson’s unconditional bail was set at $20,000, no bail with circumstances Friday.
Scott Robertson was in his second yr of a two-year mayoral time period, in line with the Winnebago Metropolis Clerk Workplace.
