Three Albert Lea men were charged in Freeborn County District Court on Friday with first-degree drug sales charges related to the alleged sale of two pounds of methamphetamine to an undercover agent earlier this week.

The three men charged were Fernando Barrientos Rezendis, 21, Rodolfo Valdez-Magdaleno, 38, and Santos Garcia Penaloza, 25.

According to court documents, the men were arrested by the South Central Drug Task Force, the South Eastern Drug Task Force, the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Freeborn County Sheriff’s Office and the Albert Lea Police Department after the alleged sale, which was for $50,000.

Documents state officers first made arrangements Wednesday between an undercover BCA agent and Rezendis — at 1713 Eberhart St. — for the sale.

The undercover agent met with Rezendis at the Napa Auto Parts parking lot to make arrangements for the sale, and during that meeting, at about 1:46 p.m., Rezendis allegedly told the agent he had two pounds of meth and could be back by 2 p.m. with it, according to reports.

The agent and Rezendis then both left the parking lot.

Afterward, officers reportedly saw Rezendis walk back to his address on Eberhart Street, walk into the residence and within a few minutes come back out and get into a blue Expedition. He was accompanied by another man, Magdaleno, and Rezendis was allegedly carrying a white bag.

Reports state after the agent and the Expedition went back to the Napa parking lot, authorities allegedly saw Rezendis exit the Expedition and get into the agent’s automobile. The Expedition exited the lot.

Officers monitoring the incident indicated Rezendis tried to get the agent to follow the Expedition, but the agent refused.

Rezendis called Magdaleno, who then came back to the parking lot a few minutes later.

Reports stated authorities saw Magdaleno open the hood of the vehicle and make it appear as if he was checking the oil.

While this happened, deputies reportedly saw Rezendis walk out of the agent’s vehicle, to the front passenger door of the Expedition and then back to the agent’s car.

Rezendis and Magdaleno were arrested shortly afterward. The substance in the bag tested positive for meth.

After the arrest, a search warrant was executed at the Eberhart residence, where documents and a firearm were seized.

Rezendis reportedly told the BCA agents he got the meth from Penaloza at “what he called the tire shop and pointed it out on Broadway and Fifth Street,” documents state.

After Rezendis made arrangements to pay Penaloza for the sale and to get more meth, authorities arrested Penaloza walking across the street from Hardee’s.

During Rezendis’ interview, he told authorities that Magdaleno knew about the methamphetamine and agreed to help him by driving the Expedition. There was an agreement that Magdaleno would get $1,000 for helping him out, documents state.

The first-degree sales charge carries a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison and a $1 million fine.