Evanston police arrest Minnesota man on drug charges

Evanston police have charged a Minnesota man with felony drug charges after a 911 caller reported suspected drug dealing in Mason Park Thursday afternoon.

Police say officers responded to the south end of the park, near Davis Street and Florence Avenue, about 3:45 p.m. and found a car matching the caller's description with two people inside.

With help from the Skokie police canine unit, officers searched the two men and the car.

Officers say they found 27.2 grams of suspected marijuana and 2.8 grams of suspected cocaine along with a scale and $1,351 in cash.

One of the men, Ronald E. Louden, 34, of 2031 W. Broadway in Newhope, Minn., now has been charged with felony drug possession, felony drug possession with intent to deliver and felony drug possession within 1000 feet of a park.

He was also charged with transporting open alcohol in a motor vehicle and driving on a suspended license.

The second man, Andre S. Stinnette, 31, of 1620 Davis St., was charged with a city ordinance violation for consumption of alcohol in a motor vehicle.

Both men are scheduled to appear in Skokie district court at 9 a.m. on Aug. 15.