Posted: 10/18/05
Burglary, meth lab suspect arrested
An Eitzen man faces charges of burglary and manufacturing methamphetamine following a search at his home on October 14.
Joseph Wayne Bingenheimer, 23, was arrested that day after Houston County Sheriffís Department deputies executed a search warrant at 321 Iowa Avenue in Eitzen.
He was charged on October 17 with burglary in the third degree and first degree attempted manufacture of methamphetamine.
Numerous items were recovered such as chainsaws, tools, watches, etc. Also discovered during the course of the investigation was precursors and remnants of a methamphetamine.
The search warrant was the result of an extensive investigation by the Houston County Sheriffís Office of burglaries that occurred in Eitzen and northeastern Iowa.
ìWe figured he was monkeying with it but we didnít have any proof,î Sheriff Mike Lee said of the methamphetamine discovery.
Lee called it a big arrest for that reason, and because it could solve two ìpretty good-sized burglaries.î
The countyís methamphetamine mobile crime unit was used at the crime scene.
Bingenheimer was released from jail on $5,000 bail bond on Monday. His next court appearance is October 26 at 9 a.m.
Stolen car suspect arrested
On Monday morning, October 17, at approximately 2:30 a.m., a Houston County Sheriffís Deputy made a traffic stop on Hwy 16 near Millerís corner. The vehicle contained three juveniles, including two males and one female.
Investigation by the Deputy showed the vehicle to have been stolen from the City of Caledonia from a man who didnít know it had been stolen. The driver also was wanted on a felony warrant for violating terms of probation in connection with prior offenses of third degree burglary, motor vehicle theft, tampering with a motor Vehicle and carrying a weapon without 1a permit.
The 16-year old driver was arrested and held at the Houston County Sheriffís Office, and made his first court appearance on October 17. Charges wee pending as of that day. The 14-year old female was cited for minor consumption and released to her parent. The 14-year old male passenger was cited for obstructing legal process and released to his parents.
Marijuana arrest pending
On September 20, 2005, officers from the MN BCA and Southeastern MN Drug Task Force executed a search warrant at 3170 Lake Street NW, Rochester, MN. Information for this search warrant was a direct result of the drug investigation and arrests conducted in Houston County on September 16.
The Houston County Sheriffís Department, along with the MN BCA and Southeastern Drug Task Force will be forwarding investigation reports to the Houston County Attorney and expect felony charges will be filed against a 23-year old Rochester man in connection with the marijuana grow.
As a direct result of the Houston County investigation, three more marijuana grow fields were eradicated in Olmsted County with a total of 177 plants with a street value in excess of $100,000.00.
Sheriffís Department Captain Gary Eddy said on October 17 that the marijuana wasnít as high a grade as the 286 marijuana plants that were discovered in Hokah Township on September 16. ìWe had better quality,î Eddy said.
The search warrant also netted $14,000 in cash, plus marijuana and growing supplies.
Caledonia Argus
314 West Lincoln St.
P.O. Box 227
Caledonia, MN 55921-0227
507/724-3475
E-Mail: editor.argus@ecm-inc.com