Stearns County Felon Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine, Possession of Firearms

 MINNEAPOLIS – A Stearns County man was sentenced today to 10 years in prison followed by five years of supervised release for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and possession of firearms as a felon.

According to court documents, on November 22, 2019, Samuel Charles Skelton, II, 30, sold a pound of methamphetamine for $4,500 to a confidential informant. On January 16, 2020, after conducting surveillance on Skelton, law enforcement arrested him as he traveled from St. Cloud to the Twin Cities. Following the arrest, law enforcement searched Skelton’s black BMW and found 1.5 kilograms of methamphetamine, digital scales, multiple standard and flip phones, cocaine, $1,665 in U.S. currency, and multiple pills, including gabapentin, cyclobenzapinre, and oxycodone.

According to court documents, on April 13th, 2020, law enforcement was involved in an investigation of a suspected death overdose at a residence in Brook Park, Minnesota. While the investigation was underway, Skelton arrived at the location in a silver BMW. Law enforcement searched Skelton’s vehicle and located a bag containing 14 grams of methamphetamine, three bags containing 9.4 grams of marijuana, four loaded 30 round magazines containing .223 ammunition and one loaded 30 round magazine containing .300 ammunition, and four firearms, including a loaded 9mm Sig Sauer semi-automatic handgun, a High Standard .45 caliber semi-automatic handgun, an Anderson .300 caliber AR-15 style rifle, and a .223 caliber FR AR-15 style rifle.

Skelton has multiple prior felony convictions in Clay and Stearns Counties and therefore is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition at any time.

Acting U.S. Attorney W. Anders Folk for the District of Minnesota made the announcement after Senior U.S. District Judge Michael J. Davis sentenced the defendant.

This case was the result of an investigation conducted by the Ramsey County Violent Crime Enforcement Task Force, the East Central Drug and Violent Offenders Task Force, Homeland Security Investigations, and the St. Paul Police Department.

This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Allen A. Slaughter.