Rochester Man Facing Prison After Pleading Guilty in Drug Cases

Get our free mobile app

Rochester, MN (KROC-AM News) - A Rochester man has entered guilty pleas to multiple third-degree drug charges involving four separate drug busts over the past two years.

27-year-old Lance Giwa had faced at least 10 felony drug charges, including first-degree charges stemming from three traffic stops and one police investigation involving a confidential informant that resulted in the seizure of hundreds of counterfeit oxycodone pills that likely contained fentanyl. Under the terms of his plea deal, he was allowed to plead guilty to four third-degree charges while the remainder of the charges against him were dismissed.

The first case included in the plea deal stemmed from a traffic stop in April 2022 that led to the search of a vehicle driven by Giwa. The criminal complaint says police found more than 500 counterfeit opioid pills along with more than 14 grams of cocaine.

The charges in the second case were the result of 0a controlled purchase of drugs by a confidential police informant in May of last year. Giwa was accused of selling a so-called "8 ball" of cocaine and 20 "M30" pills suspected of containing fentanyl to a person working with Rochester police investigators.

In March of this year, Giwa was stopped for speeding by a State Trooper on Highway 52. Court records indicate a resulting search of the vehicle led to the discovery of more than 200 counterfeit oxycodone pills and more than 28 grams of cocaine.

The final case was from July of this year and also involved a traffic stop for speeding. The criminal complaint says Giwa was driving a vehicle that was pulled over by an Olmsted County deputy, who eventually located 150 M30 pills laced with fentanyl and nearly 13 grams of cocaine.

Giwa remains in the Olmsted County Jail pending his sentencing hearing, which has not yet been scheduled. His bail was continued at $450,000. Under the terms of the plea deal, he is expected to be sentenced to 4 1/2 years in prison.