Big Plymouth Pot Bust Snares SW Minneapolis Man

A Southwest Minneapolis man has been charged with felony drug possession after police say he and two California men were caught in a Plymouth home with 10 pounds of marijuana.

That's equivalent to around 10 gallon freezer bags full of the drug, enough for thousands of doses.

Edward Charles Walker III, 26, who lives in the 4700 block of France Avenue South, is charged with fifth-degree drug possession, which carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $10,000 fine. According to the criminal complaint, Walker was there to pick up a small portion of the package.

Two co-defendants, Vincent Paul Santucci, 21, and Hop Dinh Le, 27, are also charged with fifth-degree drug possession.

Police executed a search warrant at a home in the 14100 block of 53rd Avenue North in Plymouth on Nov. 8 after a FedEx package containing marijuana was delivered there, according to the criminal complaint, signed by Plymouth Police Officer Kevin Pregler.

When police entered the home, they found four people inside: Walker, Santucci, Le and the homeowner, who is unnamed in the complaint.

Police also found the FedEx package, which contained five bags of marijuana weighing 4,556 grams, or slightly more than 10 pounds, according to the complaint.

Santucci claimed responsibility for the marijuana in the package, telling officers that someone had fronted him the drugs, which he planned to sell, the complaint says. Le admitted coming with Santucci to pick up the marijuana, calling himself the “middle man,” according to the complaint.

Santucci and Le told police that they flew to Minnesota to pick up the marijuana shipment, according to Pregler’s account.

Walker said he was expecting to receive two 28-gram bags of marijuana from that package, and that he had accompanied Santucci and Le to the house to retrieve it, the complaint says.

Walker, along with Santucci and Le, have been released from custody on separate $3,000 bonds. No further court appearances have been scheduled.