Thursday, March 28th, 2024 Church Directory
RYAN CARLSON, 40 of Hermantown, was arrested and charged with possession of drugs and giving a false name to police. (Jail Photo).

Suspect charged with possession of narcotics and false name

On January 11, at approximately 11:12 p.m., Big Lake Police Officer Tyler Hecht initiated a traffic stop on a vehicle for an equipment violation. 

Hecht observed the driver to be male and he gave officer Hecht the name of Shannon Shepherd. Dispatch advised Officer Hecht the driver had a driving status of canceled as inimical to public safety. When asked, the driver stated he did not have any form of identification on him. 

Officer Hecht viewed a Dept. of Public Safety (DPS) photo of the person and it appeared to match the driver. Officer Hecht showed the DPS photo to the driver and he confirmed that was his photo. 

Officers learned the female passenger had a warrant for her arrest, a revoked drivers license, and an open bottle in her coat. During the inventory search of the vehicle officers located the following:

• A pipe commonly used to ingest controlled substances;

• Three (3) glass smoking pipes with residue; 

• Five (5) hypodermic needles .

Officer Hecht conducted a search of the driver and located a baggie in the driver’s right pocket. The substance inside the baggie field tested positive for methamphetamine and weighed .5 grams. Officer Hecht transported the driver to the Sherburne County Jail. 

While at the jail, Officer Hecht located two pre-printed checks made to Ryan Carlson in the driver’s wallet. Both checks were signed on the back, however the signatures did not match.

During a Mirandized interview, the driver said he was Shannon Shepherd and the checks did not belong to him. He stated he found them in Duluth and put them in his wallet. 

Before leaving the jail, Officer Hecht searched the backseat of his squad car and located a Minnesota identification card tucked behind the divider where the driver’s feet had been during the transport. Officer Hecht retrieved the card and observed it was and identification card for Ryan Carlson. Officer Hecht located another ID card with the name Ryan Carlson and a photo on it. 

Officer Hecht instructed jail staff to identify the driver by fingerprints. The driver’s fingerprints identified him as Ryan Carlson, age 40 of Hermantown. Officer Hecht spoke to Carlson, who admitted that was his name, but insisted Ryan Carlson was the name he gave Officer Hecht during his entire encounter. 

Carlson was charged by criminal complaint with; Felony Possession of a Controlled Substance, Gross Misdemeanor Give Peace Officer a False Name of Another Person, Misdemeanor Driving After Revocation, and Petty Misdemeanor Possession of Drug Paraphernalia.