Two Austin residents in custody after execution of search warrant at Rodeway Inn Wednesday morning

Two Austin residents are in custody after a search warrant was executed Wednesday morning at the Rodeway Inn in Austin.

The Austin Police Department, the Mower County Sheriff’s Department and the Southeast Minnesota Violent Crimes Enforcement Team served a search warrant on the manager’s residence at the motel at 9:00 a.m. Wednesday morning.  

Authorities reported that the search warrant was the result of an investigation into the manager for the sales of illegal drugs.  Law enforcement officers discovered 146 grams of marijuana in three different locations in the residence, as well as a digital scale and baggies.

28-year-old Michael Vasquez and 43-year-old Vanessa Benson, both of Austin, were both taken into custody on 5th-degree drug possession charges.