Luke S. Stringfellow, 39, Minneapolis, was charged in Dakota County District Court Aug. 7 with felony controlled substance crime in the first degree possession of cocaine/meth of 50 or more grams with the offense involving 100 or more grams or 500 or more dosage units, and felony theft of a motor vehicle.
The complaint stated that on Feb. 9, 2022, officers responded to the Kohl’s store located in the 1300 block of Town Centre Drive in Eagan. Loss prevention had observed an individual, later identified as Stringfellow, walking around the store and grabbing items in a suspicious manner before leaving all the items in the store and exiting to a parked cargo van outside the store.
Stringfellow then returned inside the store, put on a white hooded sweatshirt and hat, both merchandise from the store, and left without paying before he reentered the store again and took the clothing items off. Stringfellow then left Kohl’s and went to several other stores nearby. Local law enforcement arrived and were attempting to locate Stringfellow when dispatch reported that a male matching the description of Stringfellow had attempted to enter a townhome, claiming that his car was broken down.
Law enforcement found Stringfellow walking at a KinderCare Learning Center nearby. Stringfellow was transported back to Kohl’s from the Learning Center to verify the items taken from the store. On the way, Stringfellow began kicking the rear of the squad car and stated alternately that he had, and then had not, swallowed drugs. He was transported to United Hospital for treatment.
While searching Stringfellow’s cargo van, a driver’s license was recovered with Stringfellow’s face on it, but a different name. The name and driver’s license number returned to a real individual living in the Twin Cities area.
On Feb. 10, 2022, investigators called U-Haul to gain more information about the cargo van that was recovered in the matter. U-Haul informed the investigator that the van was in the process of being reported stolen as it had been rented on Jan. 10, 2022, for a four-day period and not returned. U-Haul stated that the renter of the vehicle provided an identification and license number that U-Haul later determined was a stolen card. U-Haul confirmed that Stringfellow matched the description of the individual who rented the van.
On Feb. 16, 2022, a search warrant was received and executed on the van, which had been towed and secured at the Eagan Police Department. In the console between the driver and passenger seats a sandwich bag of white crystal substance was located. It tested positive for methamphetamine and weighed in at 237.35 grams. A court summons was issued.
As a first-time offense, first degree sale or possession of a controlled substance in this quantity in Minnesota is punishable by up to 30 years in prison and a $1 million fine.
