Other men face lesser felony
drug charges
By Tim Ruzek
truzek@postbulletin.com
Local authorities busted a cocaine-selling operation last week in Austin.
ADVERTISEMENT
Erick Fontain Thomas, a 25-year-old Austin man who allegedly led the operation, is charged in Mower District Court with a single felony count of first-degree drug crime and two counts of second-degree drug crime, all for a subsequent offense.
In June, Thomas left prison under supervised release after serving nearly three years for two prior felony convictions from Mower County.
Three years ago, Thomas was sentenced after a jury found him guilty of second-degree assault and third-degree drug crime for an incident in June 2004 in Austin.
The new criminal complaint alleges Thomas led a group involved in cocaine sales from Oct. 3 to last Friday in Austin.
Authorities used search warrants Friday at Thomas’ apartment at a complex at 107 First St. N.W. They found 11 grams of crack cocaine, more than 100 grams of marijuana, a large amount of money and drug paraphernalia.
A 5-year-old boy was found with two adults at one of the searched apartments.
Darrell Anthony Leaks, 51, of Austin, is charged in the case with two counts of second-degree drug crime and two counts of third-degree drug crime for allegedly selling cocaine this month to an informant for Austin police.
At one point, Leaks allegedly bragged to the informant about bringing $1,000 worth of business to his drug supplier during a weekend, the complaint says.
ADVERTISEMENT
Thomas, Leaks and several other men facing lesser felony drug charges in the case were expected to appear in court today.
