Ashton, Iowa — An Austin, Minnesota man has been arrested on drug and neglect charges after a traffic stop near Ashton.
According to a criminal complaint filed with the Osceola County Clerk of Court’s Office by the Iowa State Patrol, 25-year-old Sinbad Kete of Austin is accused of the possession and use of marijuana in the presence of children. He was arrested on Sunday.
In his statement, the trooper says that Kete was driving a vehicle that was stopped for speeding on Highway 60 near Ashton. While speaking with the defendant at the vehicle, the trooper says he smelled a strong odor of marijuana. He says there were multiple juvenile passengers including two under the age of five, and a ten-year-old. The trooper says Kete admitted to having marijuana in his pants pocket. He says field sobriety tests were administered that showed Kete was impaired and unable to operate a motor vehicle safely.
Kete was charged with three counts of Neglect of a Dependent Person, a class C felony. If convicted, Kete could face up to ten years in prison on each count. He also faces misdemeanor charges of OWI 1st Offense, Possession of a Controlled Substance (Marijuana) 1st Offense, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, three counts of not restraining a child, and speeding.
Kete was released on the next day after posting a $10,000 cash or surety bond.
