Minnesota Movie Theater Manager Busted For Selling Cocaine In Popcorn Bags

Minnesota officials say a movie theater manager sold cocaine in bags of popcorn.

She allegedly sold it to a police informant.

Jamie Lynn Hiniker, 39, is feloniously charged with selling “one or more mixtures containing a narcotic drug,” and could face a maximum sentence of up to 20 years in prison or a fine of $250,000 if convicted, according to the complaint.

It happened at the four-screen Spotlight Theatres, about 80 miles from Minneapolis, the Smoking Gun reported Thursday (May 6). The outlet also published the court document.

Hiniker, of Mankato, allegedly sold the drugs on July 21, 2020.

On that day, a Minnesota River Valley Drug Task Force agent was in communication with a confidential police informant about buying the drugs. Officials knew that Hiniker used her role at the movie theater to sell cocaine, either in the alley or with popcorn in a container, the statement of probable cause reads.

Court filings state that the informant arranged to go to the theater for $100 worth of cocaine, equipped with a mobile recording device and with task force agents monitoring the transaction.

That’s when “…Hiniker put the cocaine in a popcorn bag. Popcorn was then placed in the bag.” The confidential informant paid Hiniker and she accepted the money. It was .406 g of cocaine, according to the statement.

On Friday (May 7), Task Force Commander Jeff Wersal explained to the Daily News that arresting Hiniker sooner could have compromised the informant’s identify as they worked other cases.

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