Authorities say a brutal pistol-whipping in St. Cloud led investigators straight to a stash of suspected fentanyl and firearms, ending with a high-bail jail stay for a 57-year-old man.
Reginald Dwayne Lewis was arrested after investigators say he pistol-whipped a man during a robbery and was later found with roughly four ounces of suspected fentanyl and multiple firearms. Lewis is being held at the Benton County Jail on $500,000 bail and faces nine felony counts, according to court records. Authorities say the alleged assault and the size of the suspected drug haul prompted a multi-agency search that ended with his arrest on April 16.
Search Warrant At East St. Germain
According to KNSI, the Central Minnesota Violent Offender Task Force executed a search warrant at an East St. Germain Street apartment around 5 a.m. on April 16 as part of a fentanyl distribution investigation. Officers say they had to force their way in because the door was barricaded, and they detained three people inside. One resident had blood coming from his left ear.
The criminal complaint alleges that a man known to the occupants as "Bugaloo," later identified as Lewis, walked into the sleeping resident's room, assaulted him, and stole money and drugs.
Arrest, Vehicles, and Alleged Evidence
Investigators tracked Lewis to the Americana Motel and arrested him later the same morning, and a Chevrolet Cruze parked nearby was searched after a K-9 alerted to the odor of narcotics, KNSI reports.
Inside the car's trunk, officers found a lockbox holding three firearms, and the glove box contained baggies that field-tested positive for fentanyl, cocaine and methamphetamine. The complaint says the fentanyl weighed about four ounces, the meth just under an ounce and the cocaine just under half an ounce.
According to the complaint, Victim A told investigators Lewis "struck him in the side of the head with a pistol." Lewis was charged Friday with nine felonies, jailed on $500,000 bail and has a next court date set for April 28.
Charges And Legal Exposure
Prosecutors have charged Lewis with nine felonies, including first-degree controlled-substance crime, first-degree aggravated robbery, three counts of first-degree burglary, second-degree assault and unlawful possession of a firearm.
Under Minnesota law, first-degree controlled-substance convictions carry statutory exposure up to 40 years in prison and fines up to $1,000,000 for repeat offenders. Per Minnesota Statutes, enhanced sentences apply when the defendant has prior controlled-substance convictions or other aggravating factors.
Why It Matters
The seizure in St. Cloud underscores how fentanyl has reshaped drug enforcement across the state, even as overdose deaths and nonfatal overdoses remain a public-health focus. The Minnesota Department of Health's preliminary overdose data shows synthetic opioids like fentanyl account for a large share of recent opioid-related hospital visits and deaths statewide.
According to the Minnesota Department of Health, nonfatal overdoses involving opioids other than heroin increased in the most recent reporting year, even where deaths dipped slightly.
Next Steps
The criminal complaint is the primary source for the allegations, and Lewis is presumed innocent until proven guilty in court. Authorities say the case will proceed through the county courts and those charged will face the formal arraignment process.
