$75K In Fentanyl Seized In Rice County: Police

RICE COUNTY, MN — The Cannon River Drug and Violent Offender Task Force recently seized $75,000 worth of illegal Fentanyl, resulting in two Rice County residents being charged, according to a news release from the task force.

Christopher Payne, 31, was charged with first-degree aggravated controlled substance crimes and illegally possessing a firearm, prosecutors said.

Kaley Maria Wethern, 32, was charged with first-degree and fifth-degree controlled substance crimes, according to authorities.

"Over the past few years Fentanyl overdose deaths have been on the rise," Task Force Commander Scott O’Brien commented. "I’m proud of the continued effort and teamwork by the Task Force Agents, Patrol Divisions and local detectives working together to take these dangerous drugs out of our community. This significant seizure undoubtedly saved lives in Rice and Le Sueur counties and others across the state of Minnesota."

According to the task force, in April and May, agents learned that Payne was involved in selling Fentanyl and illegally owning a firearm in Faribault.

On May 13, officers pulled over Payne while he was driving and he told them the car belonged to Wethern, his girlfriend, according to authorities. He was pulled over for stop sign violations, expired vehicle registration, and admitted to having a canceled driver's license, authorities said.

A Faribault police K9 found a black backpack in the back seat, according to investigators. Inside the backpack, officers found a 9mm handgun, a glass pipe with suspected methamphetamine residue and several documents with Payne's name, authorities said.

In another backpack, officers found a container with a large quantity of suspected Fentanyl pills, according to investigators.

Payne and Wethern were both arrested for controlled substance crimes, according to the Task Force.

The pills tested positive for Fentanyl and weighed around 1.6 lbs and amounted to about 3,000 pills, authorities said.

Officers executed a search warrant of Payne and Wethern's residence in Faribault on May 14, according to authorities. Agents found a small amount of methamphetamine, and a letter written by Wethern stating that Payne was selling drugs to people and that those people may need Narcan, which helps treat an overdose, according to investigators.

The pills were being sold for $25 each, meaning the task force seized $75,000 worth of Fentanyl from the pair, authorities said.