3 arrested in early morning drug raid

Three men were arrested Tuesday on drug charges after an early morning roust of a Minden residence by the sheriff's Street Enforcement Team.

David Karl Opsteegh, 25, was charged with two sales of a controlled substance and possession of a controlled substance. He was jailed on $25,500 bail.

Jason Blackwell, 34, was charged with possession of marijuana and possession of a dangerous drug without a prescription. He is set for a Sept. 20 arraignment.

Paul Freeman, 24, pleaded guilty Wednesday in East Fork Justice Court to possession of drug paraphernalia and received a 30-day suspended sentence and a $302 fine.

The Street Enforcement Team arrived at the Minden Town Homes residence at 6:30 a.m., with a search warrant and a drug-sniffing dog.

The three men were asleep when officers arrived with canine officer Chief who alerted at several locations in the residence.

Officers found marijuana, plastic bags, a scale and pay and owe sheets.

They also recovered a glass pipe used for smoking heroin, 24 pain reliever tablets and an empty prescription bottle in someone else's name, according to reports.

Senior Judge Steven McMorris appointed lawyer Kris Brown to represent Opsteegh after the suspect told McMorris he wasn't sure if he still had his job.

Opsteegh's next court appearance is Wednesday.

Freeman said he was unemployed and anticipated that he and his two codefendants may be evicted from the residence.

McMorris placed him on probation for one year. Freeman is subject to random search and seizure and must abstain from drugs and alcohol.

According to reports, a search warrant was obtained for the residence after several undercover marijuana purchases totaling 56 grams.