Hendersonís meth trial ends with guilty verdict

By DAWN SLADE
Mille Lacs County Times
Posted 2/14/03

Michael Peter Henderson, 36, of Milaca was found guilty Thursday, Feb. 6 of first degree manufacturing of methamphetamine (meth) and use of police radios during commission of a felony.

Henderson was arrested at his home in Milo Township on May 21, 2002 by then investigator Alan Marxhausen of the Mille Lacs County Sheriffís Office.

A fully operational meth lab was in the home. Officers also found a radio scanner tuned to the sheriffís office frequency and an audio surveillance system which made conversations up to 50 feet from the home, in the driveway area, audible on the second floor of the house.

Henderson admitted he had been manufacturing meth for two years saying he survived off it by selling it.

Marxhausen testified for five hours Wednesday during the trial. Deputies Todd Quaintance and Terry Boltjes also testified, along with a representative of the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA).

The three-day trial ended after the jury deliberated for approximately two hours, finding Henderson guilty.

A sentencing date is scheduled for Wednesday, March 19. At a minimum, Henderson will receive 86 months in prison, but the county can ask for more time.

Assistant county attorney Cory Tennison said, "I think itís definitely a good thing for the community that he was found guilty.

"Meth is a big problem in Mille Lacs County and it seems like weíre dealing with a lot of these [manufacturing] cases. Hopefully, by getting to the source and to the people who are making this extremely addictive drug, ultimately weíll be able to cut down on meth use in Mille Lacs County."

Commenting on the minimum 86 month sentence, Tennison added, "I truly believe the community will be a safer place without him in it."

Henderson is currently in the Mille Lacs County Jail where he will remain until he is sentenced.