A Cottage Grove man is in police custody on drug and weapons related charges, following the carrying out of a search warrant July 16 in Cottage Grove.
Jonathan Henry Valencour, 44, is charged in an indictment from the U.S. District Attorney’s Office with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and possession of a firearm as a felon. Valencour was arraigned Sept. 9 in U.S. District Court before Magistrate Judge John F. Docherty and has been ordered to remain in custody pending further proceedings. Considered to be a pretrial flight risk, he faces 40 years in prison if convicted on all charges.
Court documents filed with the United States District Court for the State of Minnesota out of Minneapolis show several case exhibits, including 84.4 kilograms (186 pounds) of methamphetamine, a loaded firearm with attached silencer in a nearby tool chest, several boxes of ammunition in a basement to which he had access, and equipment to manufacture dimethyltryptamine or DMT in a shed behind the garage. The drug and weapons charges follow a joint investigation conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Washington Conty Drug Force, and Cottage Grove Police Department.
Detailed in the arrest warrant to establish probable cause for his detention, Valencour is alleged as of July 16 to “unlawfully, knowingly, and intentionally possess 500 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine, a controlled substance,” in violation of U.S.C. Chapter 21 841(a)(1) and 841 (b)(1)(A).
Because Valencour has prior felony convictions in Hennepin and Washington counties, he is prohibited under federal law from possessing firearms or ammunition at any time.
A stimulant taking advantage of the brain’s dopamine reward system, the street value of methamphetamine can vary widely, impacted by factors that include purity, availability, and location. An addict might spend between $12,800 and $38,300 on their addiction per year, according to recovered.org.
According to the National Institute of Drug Abuse, long-term methamphetamine use leads to addiction and other severe health problems for users including cardiovascular collapse, stroke, and death, as well as methamphetamine-induced psychosis. Over time, it changes brain wiring, and can result in depression, anxiety, paranoia, and confusion, as well as visual and auditory hallucinations.
Presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond reasonable doubt in a court of law, Valencour remains in pretrial custody with law enforcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas M. Hollenhorst is prosecuting the case.