Oakdale Man Convicted on Drugs Charge, Said He Needed Drugs for Back Pain

An Oakdale man was convicted of fifth degree drug possession after police found marijuana and prescription drugs in the man's vehicle.

Brandon Michael English, 23, was convicted in Washington County District Court last week. 

According to the criminal complaint:

The Washington County Sheriff's Office was patrolling the area of 10th Street and Lake Elmo Avenue in Lake Elmo on April 19 when a deputy saw a vehicle parked behind a business. When the vehicle drove away the deputy saw the driver was not wearing his seatbelt.

The deputy pulled the vehicle over and the driver, English, said the vehicle was not insured.

The deputy searched the vehicle and found a prescription bottle prescribed for prednisone. Inside the bottle were three prednisone pills and four round small blue pills marked as "OP15." English said the OP is a generic of oxycontin.

English told the deputy that he got the generic oxycontin pills from a co-worker and said he used them for his back pain. English added that he does not have health insurance and Tylenol and Ibuprofen did not help his back pain.

During the search the deputy also found a small plastic baggy filled with marijuana and a small plastic continaer with marijuana residue.

The court placed English on probation for one year with no additional jail time.