Mora woman arrested, accused of planning to smuggle narcotics into Rush City prison

A 37-year-old Mora woman has been charged with two counts each of felony-level drug sale and possession after allegedly coordinating plans to smuggle narcotics into the Rush City prison.

According to the criminal complaint, the East Central Drug and Violent Offenders Task Force had been investigating Kristi Tyler for reportedly communicating with Rush City inmates.

A search warrant for Tyler’s residence and vehicle was approved on Nov. 17. Law enforcement officers conducting surveillance observed Tyler driving away, and conducted a traffic stop.

According to the complaint, she said she was currently residing with her ex-husband's family and that she was currently on probation for introducing contraband into a prison.

Tyler told authorities that she was directed to pick up drugs by her fiancé, August Averette, who is an inmate at the Rush City prison.

She also said his cellmate, Benjamin Powell, was orchestrating the smuggling operation with a female party, Dajah Coleman, who was supposed to pick up the drugs and smuggle them into the prison.

Task force agents seized approximately six grams of cocaine, two cell phones, and 53 strips of buprenophine naloxone from the residence. Tyler admitted to getting the drugs on Nov. 15 in Minneapolis.

She also said she was supposed to retrieve more drugs, but they weren't ready yet.

Tyler was arrested and charged with one count of third-degree sale of a narcotic, one count of fourth-degree sale of a schedule III controlled substance, and two counts of fifth-degree drug possession.

She will make her next court appearance on Dec. 4.