Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

A 69-year-old St. Paul man pleaded guilty Monday in Freeborn County District Court to an amended second-degree controlled substance charge for possessing a pound of drugs believed to have been trafficked from St. Louis.

Andre Randle initially faced one count of first-degree aggravated controlled substance crime.

Randle was pulled over by a Minnesota State Patrol trooper Oct. 15, 2022, on Interstate 35 after the trooper received information from the Dakota County Task Force that Randle was traveling to St. Louis to pick up a pound of fentanyl, cocaine or a mixture of the two substances. He was believed to be driving a 2005 light blue Cadillac Deville with a white topper.

At about 10:20 p.m. that day, task force agents confirmed that the vehicle had entered Minnesota.

Randle was reportedly driving 80 mph, and the trooper reportedly saw Randle cross the centerline with both driver’s side tires and pulled Randle over.

Randle reportedly told the trooper he lived in St. Paul but was in St. Louis for his mother’s birthday. He would not make eye contact and appeared to be sweating on his forehead and around his eyes. His speech was also rapid, according to court documents.

Because of these observations, the trooper conducted field sobriety tests, which determined Randle was not under the influence.

Randle consented to a search of the car, in which a K-9 alerted to the trunk of the vehicle, where authorities found a heat-sealed brick of a white powdery substance weighing about 1 pound behind the carpet on the passenger side of the vehicle.

Due to Randle having possible ties to trafficking fentanyl, no roadside test on the substance was completed for officer safety purposes.

Randle reportedly refused to cooperate with being handcuffed and at one point pushed away from the car and also pushed troopers back.

When in the squad car as the trunk was being searched, Randle could be heard breathing heavily and repeatedly saying, “Oh Jesus. Oh no. Oh Lord.” Once troopers found the drugs, he reportedly let out a loud, “Oh Jesus no” and begins to cry, according to court documents.

The plea agreement stated Randle will be sentenced to five years and seven months in prison with jail credit.

Sentencing is slated for March 7.