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Mark Anthony Eggerson, 23, pleaded guilty to one count each of felony drug sales and gross misdemeanor drunken driving. Prosecutors dropped an additional 20 charges including several more drug charges, several driving violations and a felon in possession of a firearm charge as part of a plea agreement. The agreement also called for a joint sentencing recommendation of seven years in prison.
Assistant Winona County Attorney Nancy Bostrack said she would not oppose Eggerson’s enrollment, pending eligibility, into a prison boot camp that could dramatically reduce his prison sentence.
Eggerson admitted selling 4.15 grams of cocaine to the same police informant on several occasions between Oct. 30, 2007 and Dec. 28, 2007.
He also admitted being pulled over by police around 3 a.m. on July 8, 2007. He said he had been drinking beer and a breath test found his blood-alcohol concentration to be 0.15 percent.
Eggerson appeared in Winona County District Court in May for a settlement conference and rejected the plea deal he ultimately accepted.
At the time, he was given a one-time opportunity to either take the deal or face a jury trial and a potentially much longer prison sentence. Bostrack said he had a change of heart about an hour after the hearing and wanted the judge to re-hear his case.
That didn’t happen, but he was given a second chance to accept the deal Friday.
Eggerson is the 10th person to be sentenced in the Operation Watchful Neighborhoods drug sweep from October 2007.
He is scheduled to be sentenced Sept. 11.
Contact Kevin Behr at (507) 453-3524 or at kbehr@winonadailynews.com.
