WORTHINGTON, MN – A Las Vegas man was arrested in Worthington after authorities found 24 pounds of cocaine, fentanyl, and methamphetamine hidden in his vehicle during a traffic stop on Interstate 90.
Suspicious Behavior Leads to Arrest
On February 27, a Minnesota State Trooper noticed two vehicles—one with Nevada plates and another with New Jersey plates—slowing down and switching lanes as they passed his patrol car near a Worthington exit. Suspecting they were trying to avoid detection, the trooper began following them and alerted other officers.
After observing further suspicious behavior at a gas station, police attempted a traffic stop as the cars entered Worthington. One vehicle escaped through a McDonald’s drive-thru, but the second, a gray Volkswagen Jetta, pulled into the parking lot.
Drug Trafficking Evidence Discovered
The driver, later identified as 44-year-old Stevie Amescua, exited the vehicle and tried to enter the restaurant but was stopped by the trooper. Amescua appeared nervous, with shaking hands and visible burn marks on his fingers and lips—signs of drug use.
Upon questioning, Amescua claimed he was in town for a “convention” but couldn’t provide any details. The trooper noticed a butane lighter inside the car, which is commonly used for narcotics, and a two-way radio—a tool often used by drug traffickers.
Massive Drug Seizure
After Amescua consented to a vehicle search, a K9 unit detected illegal substances. Officers found:
10 grams of methamphetamine in the center console
11 hidden bundles (each about 1 kg) of cocaine and fentanyl under the trunk’s carpeting
A separate tube-style bundle containing meth
In total, 24 pounds of drugs were seized.
Paid $17,000 to Transport Drugs
Following his arrest, Amescua admitted to being paid over $17,000 to transport the drugs from California to Winona, Minnesota. He also revealed that the other driver was accompanying him for security reasons, though he claimed not to know what was inside the second vehicle.
Amescua is charged with four felony counts of first-degree drug sale and possession of aggravated substances. He is currently held at the Prairie Justice Center and is scheduled to appear in Nobles County Fifth District Court on March 13.
