OLIVIA, Minn. - A woman who sold cocoa powder to a confidential informant for drug task force agents under the guise it was heroin has been charged in Renville County District Court with simulating a controlled substance, a felony.
The woman, a 26-year-old from Morton, made her first appearance in court Wednesday. The criminal complaint on the charge says the Brown Lyon Redwood Renville Task Force set up a controlled buy between their informant and the woman at a Morton residence.
At 3:30 p.m. March 14 in the driveway of the residence, the woman allegedly gave the informant a cellophane wrapper containing a plastic bag with a brown powder.
The informant purchased the bag for $400 cash and drove away.
It was only after official examination and testing that the task force determined the “heroin” was fake.
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It didn’t test positive for any trace of a controlled substance.
Instead, it appeared to be 1.6 grams of cocoa powder.
The informant texted the woman, demanding the $400 back and delivery of real heroin, according to court documents.
The woman allegedly texted that she had given the informant the “wrong sack” but would “make it right” with the informant.
If convicted, the woman could face a fine up to $20,000 and/or up to three years behind bars.
No further hearings in the case have been set.
