United States Drug Enforcement Administration

ST. PAUL – A federal jury found Raymundo Olalde-Nieves, 58, guilty on one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and one count of possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine as announced by United States Attorney Daniel N. Rosen.

According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, on or about August 22, 2024, investigators with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) arranged the purchase of approximately 54 pounds of methamphetamine from a source. The drug sale was planned to occur at a gas station in Brooklyn Park, Minnesota. 

Investigators surveilled the gas station and saw Olalde-Nieves drive up in a gray vehicle. Olalde-Nieves then loitered in the parking lot for approximately 30 minutes, getting in and out of the car, and checking the vehicle’s trunk twice. While the defendant was in the parking lot, investigators then arranged for the transaction to occur at a different location approximately 1.6 miles north of the gas station. Investigators then saw Olalde-Nieves on the phone in the parking lot and then proceeded to travel north.

Investigators coordinated with the Minnesota State Patrol to stop Olalde-Nieves in his car after he left the gas station. Troopers followed the defendant and stopped him approximately one mile north of the gas station. They suspected the defendant was attempting to evade them by turning into a nearby parking lot.

When the troopers questioned the defendant on where he was going, the troopers received vague and inconsistent responses. The troopers then removed him from the car and conducted a canine sniff of the vehicle. The canine alerted the troopers to the presence of a controlled substance odor. After a search of the vehicle, the troopers found four black buckets containing approximately 54 pounds of, what was later confirmed to be, methamphetamine in the car’s trunk.

This case was the result of an investigation by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration with assistance from the Minnesota State Patrol and other law enforcement partners.

Assistant United States Attorney Syngen Kanassatega and Special Assistant United States Attorney Sommer Honeycutt prosecuted this case.