Port Huron, MI — The St. Clair County Drug Task Force arrested Benigno Santana, a 47 year old Port Huron man, on July 27th on a pair of warrants. The warrants included a circuit court bench warrant for failing to appear for sentencing on a conviction for delivery of methamphetamine along with a federal warrant regarding counterfeiting operations.
The suspect was arrested after being pulled over for a traffic stop and bailing out of his vehicle to hide in a residence in the 1100 block of Gillett Street in Port Huron. After the Drug Task Force received permission from the homeowner to enter the residence, the man was located and arrested without incident.
Following the arrest, the DTF located about $23,000 worth of crystal methamphetamine along with several computers, printers, and storage devices believed to be used in the suspect’s counterfeiting operation the DTF and Secret Service had been investigating earlier this year.
Sheriff Tim Donnellon said, “I am extremely please and proud of our cooperative effort with the United States Secret Service. This investigation not only led to getting a drug dealer off the streets, but also a person ripping off business owners by passing counterfeit money.”
The suspect was arraigned on July 29th in 72nd District Court in Port Huron, and he is charged with delivery/manufacture of methamphetamine, resisting and obstructing police, use of police radio receivers/scanners in commission of a felony, and being a habitual 4th offender.
His bond has been set at $250,000 cash/surety, and he is scheduled for a probably cause hearing before Judge Mona Armstrong on August 4th. He is also expected to be arraigned on the Secret Service warrant at a later date.
Reporting for WGRT – Jessie Wiegand
