Meth dealer sentenced to 8 years

BEMIDJI -- A Bemidji man who was arrested with a large amount of marijuana, firearms and methamphetamine in November was sentenced to 8 years in prison.

Barry Lee Jacobson, 46, was convicted Aug. 11 in Beltrami County Court of one count of felony first-degree drug sale and one count of felony weapon possession. Jacobson entered a Lothenbach plea in July. By doing so, he waived a jury trial in exchange for a court trial in which a judge determines the sentence.

Judge John Melbye sentenced Jacobson to eight years (98 months) in the Minnesota Correctional Facility in St. Cloud for the drug charge and a consecutive five year sentence for the weapons charge. Jacobson has been credited with 256 days time served. He must pay $100 in fines.

A first-degree controlled substance crime carries a maximum penalty of 40 years in prison and a $1,000,000 fine. A felon in possession of a firearm faces a maximum 15 year prison sentence and a $30,000 fine. Jacobson was previously convicted of third-degree possession of a controlled substance in 2003.

Jacobson conspired with John Waslaski to sell approximately 16 grams of methamphetamine in November. When Waslaski was busted by the Paul Bunyan Drug Task Force last fall, he led law enforcement to Jacobson.

Task force agents obtained a search warrant for Jacobson's residence in November where they found approximately 15 grams of methamphetamine, 1.7 kilos of marijuana, 13 firearms and $900 of Bureau of Criminal Apprehension recorded currency.

Waslaski was sentenced in May to 94 months for felony first-degree sale of methamphetamine.