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DETROIT LAKES — Jason Everett Hanks, Sr., 45, of rural Ogema, has been sentenced in Becker County District Court for felony first-degree DWI.
According to court records, on March 23 at 12:28 a.m. he was pulled over by a Becker County deputy on Highway 59 for failing to dim his high beams. He was driving 40 mph in a 60 mph zone.
His pupils were constricted, his eyes were glossy, and he performed poorly on field sobriety tests. His license had been canceled as inimical to public safety.
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When asked about a metal tin can in the cup holder, Hanks moved it, which caused a baggy of methamphetamine to fall. When asked about drug use, he admitted to using two or three days ago. A search of the vehicle turned up 0.66 grams of cocaine and 0.75 grams of meth. Another 2.56 grams of cocaine was found on Hanks during a search at the jail. A search warrant for a blood draw was obtained. When asked to submit to the blood draw, Hanks stated, "I'm refusing."
He was previously convicted of felony DWI in 2004 (twice) and 2008.
On July 29, District Judge Gretchen Thilmony ordered Hanks to serve 75 months in prison at St. Cloud, stayed five years. The sentence is a downward departure from state sentencing guidelines, because Hanks agreed to participate in Becker-Clay County Drug Court.
He was ordered to serve 72 days in jail, with credit for 72 days served, and was fined $1,000 plus $1,150 in court fees.
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He must abstain from drugs and alcohol, get a complete chemical assessment, and follow all recommendations, including aftercare. He was placed on supervised probation for five years.
A requirement that Hanks be subject to intensive alcohol monitoring for 30 days per year, on a schedule to be set by probation, was waived while he is participating in Drug Court, which has its own testing protocol.
A felony charge of fifth-degree controlled substance crime was dropped in a plea agreement.
Audubon woman sentenced for Lorazepam pills
Jean Marie Jacobson, 37, of rural Audubon has been sentenced in Becker County District Court for felony fifth-degree drugs.
According to court records, in October of 2020, a state trooper pulled her over in Detroit Lakes for no muffler on the car, and for not wearing a seatbelt.
The trooper saw what he believed was a marijuana pipe in plain view. Jacobson consented to a K-9 dog sniff of her vehicle, the dog alerted to narcotics, and a search revealed eight Lorazepam pills.
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On July 24, District Judge Gretchen Thilmony approved a one-year continuance for dismissal. Conditions include keeping a clean record, getting a comprehensive assessment and following the recommendations, and paying a $50 cost-of-prosecution fee within six months.
