St. Cloud Man Pleads Guilty After Large Meth Bust

ST. CLOUD -- A St. Cloud man charged with selling large amounts of methamphetamine in central Minnesota has pleaded guilty. Forty-eight-year-old Daniel McNinch pleaded guilty to a charge of 1st-degree drug sales of 17 grams or more of cocaine or meth within a 90-day period.

The charge was added through an amended complaint and the plea allows three other charges involving weapons to be dismissed.

The Central Minnesota Violent Offender Task Force began investigating McNinch early this year. Officers say McNinch was routinely selling the drugs out of his St. Cloud home in the 1300 block of 9th Avenue North.

Records show an undercover informant bought meth from McNinch on three occasions in January and February. Police say they also learned McNinch was receiving wholesale amounts of the drug through the mail and storing it at his home in Onamia.

Surveillance showed McNinch making frequent trips between his St. Cloud home and his Onamia home in the following weeks.

Get our free mobile app

A search warrant was used at the Onamia home and uncovered what authorities say was more than three pounds of the drug, guns, ammunition, packaging materials, cell phones, and more than $10,000 in cash.

McNinch will be sentenced on October 4th.