(Jackson, Mn.)– A rural Jackson man has been formally charged in connection with what authorities say was a meth lab north of Jackson that blew up, burning an Arnolds Park man.
55-year-old Grant Erickson appeared Monday in Jackson County District Court and was charged with four counts of controlled substance crimes.
Court documents accuse Erickson of aiding and advising Dennis Emme of Arnolds Park in manufacturing methamphetamine and aiding advising Emme in possessing chemical re-agents or precursors with intent to manufacture meth…both felonies.
No charges have been filed yet against Emme.
Fourth and fifth degree controlled substance crimes were also filed against Erickson along with several traffic-related charges stemming from a high speed chase in which Erickson tried to elude authorities after they executed a search warrant on his farmsite last Friday. The pursuit ended after Erickson collided with two squad cars on the edge of Jackson.
The search warrant was executed as the result of a suspicious fire on the same site back on January 22nd that injured Emme and completely destroyed a 16-foot camper-trailer. It turned up articles used in the manufacture of meth, some marijuana and several guns…some of them loaded.
During an interview with an investigator, Erickson did not admit to cooking meth, or knowing meth was being cooked on his property. He told the officer he gave Emme permission to come out to the place, and that the trailer that burned belonged to Emme. Erickson also denied giving Emme a ride to the lakes area after he was burned.
Emme was found last Wednesday at a residence in Arnolds Park where he was being treated for burns by friends. He was transported to Mercy Hospital in Sioux City where he remains in serious condition.
If convicted on all charges, Erickson faces a maximum combined sentence of up to 83 years in prison and/or more than two million dollars in fines.
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