Atwater, Minnesota, woman sentenced to five years for drug possession

Dale Morin, West Central Tribune, Willmar, Minn.
·2 min read

Sep. 28—WILLMAR

— An

Atwater

woman was sentenced last week to more than five years of prison for possession of methamphetamine in 2020.

Ashlee Maree Behrends, 34, had pleaded guilty in July 2022 in Kandiyohi County District Court to a first-degree drug possession charge. In exchange, a charge of possessing drug paraphernalia was dismissed along with two other criminal cases.

While sentencing was still pending, an arrest warrant was issued for Behrends in October of 2022 for violating the conditions of release. She was arrested on the warrant on Sept. 6, 2023, according to court records, and sentenced Sept. 20.

Behrends was sentenced to the presumptive 65 months of prison and given 32 days credit for time served by Judge Melissa Listug.

Under Minnesota law, convicted offenders must serve at least two-thirds of their sentence in custody before being eligible for supervised release for the remainder of their sentence.

According to the Minnesota Department of Corrections, Behrends' expected release date from the Minnesota Correctional Facility in Shakopee is March 31, 2027.

According to the filed criminal complaint, Willmar police were called around 1:49 p.m. on Aug. 29, 2020, on a report of a physical domestic abuse incident in a moving vehicle.

A male exited when the vehicle parked at a business on First Street South in Willmar. One officer entered the business to speak to the male while two other officers spoke with Behrends, a passenger in the vehicle.

The male appeared nervous and was found to have a suspended license due to prior controlled substance offenses, according to the complaint.

Another officer indicated he could smell marijuana coming from the vehicle as he talked with Behrends.

According to the complaint, a K-9 unit was called and the dog immediately alerted to locating controlled substances.

A search of the vehicle began near the driver's door and a digital scale with green residue was found on the screen. A crystal-like substance, which later tested positive for methamphetamine, was also found on top of the weighing portion of the scale. A butane torch was also located in the center console of the cup holder.

A search of bags located on Behrends' side of the vehicle also yielded several items of methamphetamine, marijuana, and a scale. A bag weighing 94.3 grams with packaging containing a white substance that tested positive for methamphetamine was also found, along with three bags of marijuana, weighing 6.9 grams with packaging.

Both Behrends and the man were arrested. He was taken to jail, while Behrends was first evaluated at CentraCare — Rice Memorial Hospital in Willmar.