Hopkins Police Find Crack Cocaine on St. Paul Man After Traffic Stop

A St. Paul man has been charged with felony drug possession after Hopkins police say they found a large quantity of crack cocaine in his sock when he was stopped for traffic violations.

Jerald Lynn Alexander, 24, is charged with second-degree drug possession, which carries a maximum penalty of 25 years in prison and a $500,000 fine.

A Hopkins police officer on patrol near Blake Road North and Lake Street Northeast on Oct. 12 saw a vehicle make a sudden lane change without signaling, according to the criminal complaint, signed by Officer Kevin Frederick of the Southwest Hennepin Drug Task Force.

The officer followed the vehicle and watched as the driver failed to stop completely at a stop sign. He stopped the car and identified the driver as Alexander, whom he recognized from previous contacts.

Because the officer knew that Alexander had been known to carry a gun, he asked him to step out of the car and frisked him for weapons. During that search, the officer spotted a bulge in Alexander’s sock, which turned out to be a plastic bag containing crack cocaine, according to the complaint.

The substance tested positive for crack cocaine and weighed 9.38 grams, the complaint says.

Alexander remains in the Hennepin County Jail on a $30,000 bond. He is also being held on charges of failing to register as a predatory offender after a conviction for third-degree criminal sexual conduct in Michigan. An omnibus hearing in his case is scheduled Dec. 3 in Hennepin County District Court.

Follow us on Twitter | Like us on Facebook | Sign up for our free daily newsletter | Check out Patch’s Pinterest boards