Minneapolis, MN (KROC-AM News)- A northern Minnesota tow truck operator has been sentenced to 12 years in federal prison after he was caught trafficking large quantities of meth three different times from February 2020 to September 2021. 

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U.S. Attorney Andrew Lugar says 52-year-old Trent Holden of Solway received his prison sentence Thursday. He pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine back in May. 

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Court records say the traffic stops that led to Holden being caught with the large meth quantities were part of a drug trafficking investigation in northern Minnesota. The first of the three traffic stops occurred in Park Rapids where Holden was caught with one pound of meth, $34,852 in cash, and a firearm as a result of the February, 16, 2020 traffic stop. 

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Holden was released from custody before being stopped a second time on March 27,2020 and caught with  five pounds of methamphetamine, 21 MDMA pills, a firearm, a box of ammunition, and $4,096 in cash. Authorities also suspected him of being intoxicated as he was traveling from the Twin Cities to Bemidji. 

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Holden was charged in state court then released. The third and final traffic stop occurred on September 28, 2021 when law enforcement seized 2.8 pounds of methamphetamine and $4,010 in cash from Holden’s tow truck and a Dodge Neon it was hauling. 

The location of the third traffic stop was undisclosed. Holden’s 12-year prison sentence will be followed by five years of supervised release.

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