Executive Summary
- Two Willmar men, Joel Gomez and Joshua Lee Hanson, were arrested following a drug raid on their residence.
- Investigators discovered over 21 grams of methamphetamine, an indoor marijuana grow operation, and drug paraphernalia.
- The home’s location, less than a block from a city park, led to enhanced felony charges for both suspects.
- One of the charges involves storing methamphetamine paraphernalia in the presence of a child.
WILLMAR, Minn. – Two men are facing multiple felony drug charges after law enforcement officials executed a search warrant at a residence in Kandiyohi County last week, uncovering a significant quantity of methamphetamine and an indoor marijuana cultivation operation near a city park.
Authorities arrested 44-year-old Joel Gomez and 43-year-old Joshua Lee Hanson on Thursday following the raid on a home on 27th Avenue SW in Willmar. According to the criminal complaint, investigators had received numerous reports from neighbors about suspected drug trafficking at the location. During the search, a K9 unit located a glass jar in a backyard woodpile containing eight baggies with a total of 21.01 grams of methamphetamine.
Inside the residence, officers discovered an indoor marijuana grow room in the garage with four mature and four immature plants. In a basement bedroom belonging to Hanson, agents found a vial and a glass pipe, both of which contained a substance that tested positive for methamphetamine. The complaint notes that a 14-year-old boy was present in the home, and a playpen for a small child was set up in a main floor bedroom.
The proximity of the residence to Southfield Park, located less than a block away, resulted in enhanced charges for both individuals. Joel Gomez is charged with two felony counts of Third-Degree Drug Possession. His unconditional bail was set at $50,000. Joshua Lee Hanson is charged with Felony Third-Degree Drug Possession in a Park Zone and Felony Storing Meth Paraphernalia in the Presence of a Child. It is important to note that all individuals are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.