Heron Lake man faces meth charge

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JACKSON — A Heron Lake man is facing a first-degree controlled substance charge after being arrested with approximately 60 grams of methamphetamine in his vehicle.

Jeffery Alfred Freking, 59, is also charged with two counts of driving while impaired after it was discovered he was allegedly driving with meth in his system.

According to the criminal complaint, authorities went to Freking’s residence last week to execute a search warrant. A Heron Lake police officer who had been watching for Freking advised the other law enforcement officials she had noted his vehicle pass the house.

The officer was asked to stop Freking, so she followed him out of town. She noticed the vehicle cross the center line more than once. A Jackson County deputy and the officer performed a felony stop, as they had probable cause to believe Freking had committed multiple felonies and may have been in the possession of a number of firearms.

When asked to exit the vehicle and raise his hands, the officials noted Freking was slow to respond and reacted with confusion to some of their commands. When he was searched, the deputy found a folding knife in Freking’s pocket.

As the deputy spoke, he noticed Freking’s eyes were red and glassy and he was having a hard time keeping his balance. A female passenger in the vehicle also appeared to have glassy eyes and had a hard time answering questions.

A roadside breath test resulted in a negative alcohol content for both, both the officers suspected they might be under the influence of a controlled substance. During a field sobriety test, Freking was allegedly unable to perform the tasks he was asked to do with any degree of accuracy.

During the transport to the sheriff’s office, Freking repeated several times that the handcuffs were causing pain. When advised multiple times to sit sideways, Freking did not appear to understand and continued to sit on the handcuffs.

At the law enforcement center, Freking stated he would not speak without a lawyer. After administering tests, a drug recognition expert determined Freking was under the influence of a central nervous system stimulant. Freking agreed to give a urine sample, which later tested positive for meth.

While performing an inventory search on Freking’s impounded vehicle, authorities recorded several items of value on the inventory sheet, then located a small green pouch covering a plastic baggie that appeared to contain meth. The green pouch allegedly contained more small baggies of meth, as well as a container of larger glass-like shards, a small scale and a small plastic spoon.

Freking’s bond was set at $250,000. His next court date is scheduled for March 29 in Jackson County District Court.

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