Northfield Man Charged with Meth Possession in Dakota County

A Northfield man has been charged in Dakota County with felony drug possession after police say he passed out in an Eagan hotel room in February and had to be awakened by officers.

Travis Richard Fairbanks, 28, is charged with fifth-degree drug possession, which carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $10,000 fine.

According to the criminal complaint, an employee at an Eagan hotel called police Feb. 3 and reported that Fairbanks, a registered guest, had asked for a wake-up call at noon, but had not responded to the phone call. 

When Fairbanks missed his checkout time, hotel staff went to his room and found him unresponsive. When police arrived, a hotel employee unlocked his room door, and officers shook Fairbanks until he woke up.

When Fairbanks awakened, he appeared to be confused and had slurred speech and bloodshot, glassy eyes, according to the complaint. Police asked him for identification, and he directed them to a wallet in the pocket of his jeans.

An officer found the wallet, along with a methamphetamine pipe containing residue, the complaint says. A further search of Fairbanks’ backpack turned up a torch lighter, a vial of methamphetamine and other drug paraphernalia, police said.

A blue rubber tourniquet was found lying next to Fairbanks on the bed, according to the complaint.

Fairbanks told police that he has used methamphetamine, both smoking and injecting it, for about two years, and that he pays about $100 a gram for the drug, the complaint says.

A subsequent test of the drugs found that Fairbanks had 2.44 grams of methamphetamine in his possession, according to the complaint.

Fairbanks, who is not in custody, is scheduled to make a first appearance on the charge July 16 in Dakota County District Court in Hastings.