Richfield Man Arrested With 99 Grams of Heroin; Charged With Three Felonies

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A Richfield man is facing serious drug charges after police say he brought large amounts of heroin from Chicago to the Twin Cities.

Eric Darnell Totten, 32, is charged with three felonies: importation of a controlled substance, which has a maximum penalty of 35 years in prison and a $1.25 million fine; and first-degree drug sales and first-degree drug possession, each of which carries a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison and a $1 million fine.

The importation charge has a mandatory minimum penalty of a $375,000 fine, and the other two have mandatory minimum penalties of $300,000 fines.

Hennepin County authorities received several tips from citizens and a confidential informant that a man they knew as “Junior” was selling heroin in the Twin Cities, according to the criminal complaint.

The confidential informant identified a photo of the man known as “Junior” as Totten. On Nov. 21, authorities learned that Totten was transporting a large amount of heroin from Chicago to Minneapolis via the Megabus.

Officers set up surveillance in the 200 block of Chicago Avenue in Minneapolis, where the Megabus station is located. They watched Totten get off the bus and walk toward a black Ford Ranger; a woman got out of the driver’s seat and moved to the front passenger seat, and Totten got into the driver’s seat.

Officers stopped the vehicle and ordered Totten to get out. They found a large quantity of suspected heroin in the vehicle’s center console, according to the complaint.

The substance tested positive for heroin, weighing 99.17 grams, the complaint says.

After his arrest, Totten admitted picking up the heroin in Chicago and bringing it to Minneapolis, according to the complaint.

Totten remains in the Hennepin County Jail on a $200,000 bond. He is scheduled to make a first appearance on the charges Nov. 27 in Hennepin County District Court.