Pubdate: Sat, 31 Jan 2015
Source: Minneapolis Star-Tribune (MN)
Copyright: 2015 Star Tribune
Contact: http://www.startribunecompany.com/143
Website: http://www.startribune.com
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/266
Author: Anne Millerbernd

STUDENT SHOT DEAD HAD BEEN INFORMANT

The Body of Andrew Sadek Was Recovered From the Red River Last Year.

A North Dakota college student whose body was found last year in the 
Red River had worked as an informant for a drug task force until 
shortly before he died, according to a report by the North Dakota 
Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI).

Andrew Sadek, who died of a gunshot to the head, was recruited as an 
informant after he allegedly sold less than an ounce of marijuana to 
a police operative twice on the North Dakota State College of Science 
campus in April 2013. After authorities allegedly found a marijuana 
grinder in his dorm room in November 2013, they interviewed Sadek and 
told him about the charges he could face.

The 20-year-old Sadek then agreed to work as an informant for the 
Southeast MultiCounty Agency Drug Task Force to avoid the charges. 
The task force works in three North Dakota counties and Wilkin County 
in Minnesota, according to the report.

Sadek worked for three months as an informant, making three -ounce 
purchases of marijuana on the college campus from two different 
dealers. The last purchase was in January 2014, according to the BCI report.

He was supposed to make two additional purchases to resolve the 
charges against him, but he stopped contacting police.

Sadek, who was from Rogers, Minn., went missing in May and his body 
was recovered from the Red River near Breckenridge , Minn., in late 
June. An autopsy report found that Sadek died from a gunshot wound to 
the head. KFGO (790 AM) in Fargo reported in October that the 
Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension ruled his death a suicide.

The BCI review board that looked into Sadek's dealings with the task 
force "did not have any concerns with the case files" about Sadek's 
time as an informant, the report said. But the board did make four 
recommendations, including assigning a task force supervisor and 
making a briefing sheet before its operations.

The Associated Press contributed to this report. Anne Millerbernd is 
a University of Minnesota student on assignment for the Star Tribune.
- ---
MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom