Minnesota drug investigation has lead to the arrest of 5 people in Fosston, including 2 sisters

A Minnesota drug investigation in Fosston has lead to the arrest of five people in Fosston, including two sisters.They were arrested with more than $350 worth of methamphetamine last Tuesday, August 11. 

Four of the five individuals were charged with drug crimes in Polk County District Court and made their first appearances in court Thursday, august 13: James Alan Hanson, 35, of Fosston; Michelle Kathryn Maruska, 37, of Bemidji; Jessica Ann Holm, 27, of Fosston and Julia Gloria Holm, 25, of Fosston.

Information courtesy of the Grand Forks Herald

Polk County Sheriff’s Deputy Brandon Larson, who works as an agent with the Pine-to-Prairie Drug Task Force, was told by a confidential drug informant in early August that he thought he could obtain methamphetamine from Hanson, according to the criminal complaint filed against the four defendants, which details the allegations against them.

On Monday, the informant made a phone call to Maruska, which Deputy Larson listened in on, and arranged the drug deal with her, the complaint says. Maruska reportedly told the informant she and Hanson needed to drive to Bemidji to pick up the 3.5 grams of methamphetamine, according to the complaint. The informant paid for the meth before the two left to fetch it, a transaction that Larson listened in on, the complaint says.

Deputy Larson tailed Hanson and Maruska from Jessica Holm’s residence in Fosston, where Hanson would stay, to Cass Lake, Minn., the complaint says.

The two arrived back at Holm’s residence late Monday, went into the apartment and then left again in Maruska’s vehicle, at which point deputies pulled over the vehicle and arrested them both, the complaint says.

The complaint alleges Maruska admitted to going to Cass Lake, where she said Hanson bought the meth from one of his contacts, and returning to Holm’s residence, where they left the meth with Jessica Holm to give to the informant.

Deputy Larson obtained a warrant to search Holm’s residence, where he found one gram of meth, prescription pills and drug paraphernalia, the complaint says.

During questioning, both Jessica and Julia Holm told deputies Hanson had dropped off the meth with Jessica and told Jessica to split it among themselves and the informant, according to the complaint. Deputies say the two women admitted to smoking the meth and not giving any to the informant when he stopped by that night, the complaint says.

Hanson is charged with two counts of second-degree sale of controlled substances within a school zone. Both Jessica Holm and Maruska were charged with one count of second-degree sale of methamphetamine within a school zone. Julia Holm was charged with third-degree possession of methamphetamine within a school zone.

According to the complaint, Jessica Holm’s apartment was across from a school.