Burnsville Man Arrested in Connection With Major Multi-County Fentanyl and Cocaine Trafficking Case
Published: November 14, 2025
BURNSVILLE, MINNESOTA - A Burnsville man accused of participating in a high-level fentanyl and cocaine distribution network spanning multiple counties has been arrested more than six years after prosecutors filed a sweeping set of first-degree felony drug charges.
Rich Johnnie Wise, 44, was taken into custody on Wednesday evening, November 12, 2025, in Hennepin County by the St. Paul Police Department, according to court records. Wise faces three first-degree controlled substance charges, including an aggravated count carrying a maximum penalty of up to 40 years in prison.
Prosecutors allege Wise worked alongside co-defendant Marcus Eugene Burgess, 44, in a drug trafficking operation that involved repeated fentanyl sales, multi-county distribution routes, and the possession of drug quantities far exceeding statutory thresholds for Minnesota’s most serious narcotics offenses. We have reached out to the Dakota County Attorney’s Office for more information regarding Burgess. We will provide an update once we have received more information.
Five Controlled Buys Lead to Long-Term Investigation
The charges stem from an extensive DEA-led investigation that began in late 2017 and continued through 2018. According to the criminal complaint, investigators used a confidential informant (CI) to conduct a series of controlled buys involving Wise and Burgess.
Documented Controlled Buys:
Dec. 13, 2017 – Fridley: CI purchased heroin from Wise and Burgess using $400 in federal buy funds.
Feb. 8, 2018 – Burnsville restaurant: CI purchased heroin using $800 in buy funds.
Apr. 5, 2018 – Burnsville gas station: CI purchased heroin from Wise alone using $800.
Jul. 17, 2018 – Fridley: CI purchased heroin from both men using $1,400.
Aug. 15, 2018: CI purchased heroin using $2,800 in government funds.
The substances seized during these buys were later tested by the DEA and were confirmed to contain fentanyl, totaling 55.23 grams across the series of transactions.
Investigators say the repeated sales within condensed timeframes, coupled with surveillance and supporting evidence, showed Wise played a “high-ranking role” in the distribution chain.
Search Warrant Uncovers Nearly 1.3 Kilograms of Narcotics
On September 27, 2018, officers executed a search warrant at an apartment on Greenhaven Drive in Burnsville. Both Wise and Burgess were present during the raid.
Inside the apartment and associated vehicles, officers reported finding:
1,029 grams of cocaine (just over 1 kilogram)
232.8 grams of fentanyl
Additional suspected heroin, liquid codeine, and marijuana oil
$3,000 in cash
Twelve cellphones
A detailed drug ledger
Documents bearing both defendants’ names
The narcotics discovered during the search were later confirmed by DEA laboratory testing. Prosecutors say the sheer volume of fentanyl and cocaine seized, alongside the ledger, cash, and multiple phones, demonstrated a large-scale, ongoing distribution operation.
Serious Charges With Aggravating Factors
Wise faces three felony counts:
Count I – Aggravated Controlled Substance Crime in the 1st Degree
Includes two aggravating factors:
More than three separate controlled transactions within a 90-day period
Evidence the defendant held a high-level role in the distribution hierarchy
Possession of equipment, paraphernalia, or documents indicating large-quantity trafficking
Maximum penalty: 40 years, with sentencing guidelines suggesting 134 months (11+ years) given Wise’s criminal history.
Count II – First-Degree Sale of Fentanyl (50+ grams; 100+ grams involved total)
Count III – First-Degree Sale of Cocaine (17+ grams; 100+ grams involved total)
Each additional count also carries a possible sentence of up to 40 years.
According to court documents, Wise has two prior felony drug convictions, including a Third-Degree Controlled Substance Crime, which prosecutors say increases both his prison exposure and his risk to public safety.
Bail Recommendations and Court Conditions
The Dakota County Attorney’s Office requested $500,000 unconditional bail or $250,000 with strict conditions. Prosecutors wrote that the “seriousness of the consequences makes the defendant a flight risk” and that the amount of narcotics involved demonstrates the defendant is “an extreme risk to public safety.” On Thursday afternoon, November 14, 2025, the judge set the bail at the requested amounts.
Arrested in 2025
A warrant for Wise's arrest was filed in May 2019. Wise was arrested on November 12, 2025, in Hennepin County by officers of the St. Paul Police Department, according to online court records. The records do not indicate whether he had been actively evading arrest or had recently resurfaced; they simply state that the case status is dormant. Court records also show that a pre-plea worksheet might have been filed in August 2019.
Wise is currently being held in the Dakota County Jail. His first court appearance was held on November 13, 2025, at 1 PM.
Provided by Dakota County Jail.
Written By: Will Wight
