-from austindailyherald.com-

By Mia Simpson

A Mower County District judge ordered identical, stiff bails for three Austin residents arrested on drug charges Friday, when authorities allegedly uncovered more than an ounce of methamphetamine during a 7:10 a.m. search warrant at a Fifth Avenue Northwest home.

Todd Shawn Edwards, 46; Kari Lynn Hummel, 44; and Stephany Marie Miller, 42, must each pay $500,000 or $100,000 conditional bail for their release, which in the latter case includes no use of firearms, drugs or alcohol, weekly check-ins with Mower County Correctional Services and random chemical testing. All defendants have been charged with first-degree drug crimes following the bust that resulted in confiscation of 47 grams of meth, $5,553 in cash and two shotguns. Six children were also removed from the home; four have been placed in protective custody, according to Austin Police Chief Paul Philipp.
The criminal complaint states that Miller, charged with single counts of first-degree drug possession and meth crimes involving children, claimed responsibility for the narcotics, most of which was located in an open safe at the home.

Officers from the Austin Police Department, Mower County Sheriff’s Office and Southeast Minnesota Task Force allegedly discovered 44 grams of meth, $4,171 in cash and drug paraphernalia in the safe, located in the upstairs bedroom where the three defendants were found.

Authorities also allegedly uncovered 0.25 grams on Edwards, who has been charged with single counts of first-degree aiding and abetting a controlled substance crime, meth crimes involving children and fifth-degree drug possession. He also had $616 in cash, the complaint said.

Hummel, also charged with first-degree aiding and abetting a controlled substance crime and meth crimes involving children, allegedly told police she’d handled the large bag of drugs found in the safe, but said Miller was the supplier.

Their next court dates are scheduled for April 17. None of the defendants have past drug convictions.