Austin man sentenced to supervised probation on felony drug sale charge in Mower County District Court

An Austin man who sold a total of 4.04 grams of heroin to a confidential informant in Austin on two different occasions in March and April of 2021 has been sentenced to supervised probation in Mower County District Court.

25-year old Michael Thomas Barren was convicted and sentenced Thursday to five years of supervised probation after pleading guilty to a felony charge of 2nd degree sale of drugs, sale of a Schedule I or II Narcotic in a Park Zone.  A 58-month prison sentence was stayed for five years if Barren complies with the 19 different terms of his probation, and Barren first pleaded guilty to the charge in July of 2021.  

Additional felony charges against Barren, which included 5th degree drug possession, storing methamphetamine paraphernalia in the residence of a child, and for 2nd degree drugs, sale of three games or more of heroin in the case were dismissed with his guilty plea.