WINONA — A man accused of pulling a gun during a drug deal — then was himself stabbed — has entered a plea in the case.
Patrick O'Brian Reese Jr., 21, of Winona, pleaded guilty Friday in Winona County District Court to an amended count of one count of fifth-degree drug possession. In exchange, two counts of first-degree burglary and one count each of first-degree aggravated robbery and second-degree assault are expected to be dismissed at sentencing, set for Feb. 16, nearly two years after the original crime.
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The investigation began Feb. 13, 2015, when a man called Winona police to report he'd been assaulted and robbed. In turn, he'd stabbed his attacker.
The victim told officers he was a "middle man" in marijuana sales; he'd arranged a drug deal through text messages.
He answered a knock at his apartment door, and a man — later identified as Reese — pushed his way inside, saying he wanted everything the dealer had.
The victim said he was calling the police; Reese allegedly knocked the phone out of the man's hand and pulled a handgun.
When the man asked if Reese was "really going to kill me over two ounces of pot." Reese said he would if he had to, court documents say.
The dealer lunged at Reese, pinned his gun hand to the wall and knocked the magazine out of the weapon. When the man tried to grab the magazine, Reese reportedly hit him in the head several times with the butt of the gun.
Reese racked the slide and tried to chamber a round anyway, the complaint says, as the victim said, "Go ahead and shoot me ... you ain't got no bullets." The man ran to the kitchen, grabbed a knife and stabbed Reese — who then ran out.
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Officers found a .40 caliber pistol and loaded magazine in the apartment, as well as more than a half-pound of marijuana.
Two months later, the victim contacted law enforcement to say he'd spotted his attacker in a Facebook photo; he then identified Reese in a photo lineup, the reports say.
Traces of DNA were found on the grip of the gun and submitted to the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension for analysis. According to a report from the state, that DNA matched "with a high degree of probability" a known sample from Reese.
He was charged Feb. 24, 2016.
