7 arrested for methamphetamine in Colfax

By LeAnn R. Ralph

COLFAX  —  The execution of two “no knock” search warrants in Colfax has resulted in the arrest of seven people in an ongoing investigation into the distribution of methamphetamine.

The West Central Drug Task Force, with assistance from the Dunn County Sheriff’s Department and the Colfax Police Department, executed the search warrants at around 9 a.m. Wednesday, March 25.

Two addresses were the targets of the search warrants: 408 Cedar Street and an apartment at 601 Main Street above The Colfax Arts and Antique Mall and Lynn’s Brewed Awakenings.

Leo and Karen Herrera are the listed renters at 408 Cedar Street.

During the March 25 raid, Karen Herrera, 52, Seth John Swenson, 36,  Randy Edward Johnson, 41, and Shawna Kathleen Allegro, 44, were arrested at the Cedar Street address.

According to Colfax Police Chief William Anderson, Karen Herrera was arrested on charges of maintaining a drug trafficking house, delivery of methamphetamine and felony possession of drug paraphernalia.

Leo Herrera was not present at the time the search warrant was executed because he was still in the Dunn County jail due to a previous probation violation, Police Chief Anderson said.

The charges for Swenson, Johnson and Allegro ranged from felony bail jumping to felony possession of drug paraphernalia, he said.

The second search warrant executed at Apartment No. 1 at the 601 Main Street address resulted in the arrest of Dennis Keith Mittelstadt, 48, Clifford Jonathan Cline, Jr., 38, and Alicia Lynn McMullin, 39.

Mittelstadt, who was listed as the renter of the apartment, was arrested on charges of delivery of methamphetamine and felony possession of drug paraphernalia, Police Chief Anderson said.

Mittelstadt is the brother of Beth Mittelstadt, the 44-year-old woman who was shot in December at the same apartment on Main Street after she allegedly threatened the police chief with a machete. At the time of the incident, the Colfax police chief was serving a felony warrant for arson.

McMullin and Cline also were present at Mittelstadt’s apartment on March 25 and were arrested on charges of delivery of methamphetamine and felony possession of drug paraphernalia.

The most recent incident involving both Leo and Karen Herrera occurred March 11 when they were arrested after a domestic disturbance in Colfax. Both of them were charged with state disorderly conduct and were taken to the Dunn County jail.

According to online court records for Dunn County, Leo Herrera pleaded guilty to felony possession of methamphetamine and felony bail jumping in November of 2013. Charges of maintaining a drug trafficking place, possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia were dismissed on a prosecutor’s motion.

Leo Herrera was sentenced to three years of probation and 50 hours of community service.

According to online court records, Karen Herrera pleaded guilty to misdemeanor possession of marijuana and was sentenced to one year of probation in July of 2013.

Charges of maintaining a drug trafficking place, possession of drug paraphernalia and possession of an illegally obtained prescription were dismissed on a prosecutor’s motion.

The court accepted a deferred prosecution agreement for Karen Herrera on one felony count of possession of methamphetamine.

A deferred prosecution hearing for Karen Herrera is scheduled in Dunn County Circuit Court in July.

Following the officer-involved shooting at his apartment December 18, Dennis Mittelstadt also was charged with felony possession of methamphetamine as well as misdemeanor counts of possessing drug paraphernalia and bail jumping.

The afternoon of December 18, officers obtained a search warrant for the apartment and discovered the methamphetamine and the drug paraphernalia.

Beth Mittelstadt is charged with one felony count of arson related to a fire at 511 East Third Avenue in Colfax last May. She also is charged with one felony count of first degree attempted murder and two felony counts of first degree recklessly endangering safety related to the December incident in which she allegedly threatened Police Chief Anderson and Dunn County deputies with a machete.

The house at 511 East Third Avenue at the time of the arson was occupied by Katie Bundy.

Mittelstadt told investigators she had gone to Bundy’s house that evening last May to buy methamphetamine.

Bundy has been charged in three counties with a total of 43 felonies related to drugs and bail jumping and made an initial appearance in Dunn County Circuit Court on the latest felony charges January 16.

In the most recent case, Bundy is charged with two felony counts of possession of methamphetamine and possessing drug paraphernalia to manufacture or store methamphetamine and eight counts of felony bail jumping.