Duluth drug and gun raid leads to multiple arrests, major seizure

A search warrant on Duluth’s West Arrowhead Road ended with two arrests and a cache of cocaine, cash and firearms, including a Glock 26 with an extended magazine, in another sign of the city’s continuing drug-and-gun enforcement effort.

Members of the Lake Superior Violent Offender Task Force, the Duluth Police Department and partner agencies executed the warrant in the 200 block of West Arrowhead Road on Thursday, April 23, 2026. Police arrested 35-year-old Patrick Homstad on pending charges of first-degree sale of cocaine, possession of a firearm and possession of a bullet-resistant vest. Thirty-year-old Ashley Ferguson was arrested on a warrant and pending child endangerment charges.

Investigators said they seized $2,560 in U.S. currency, four additional firearms, a large amount of ammunition, magazines and firearm accessories, along with about 30 grams of cocaine. The search covered both a residence and a vehicle, underscoring that officers were looking at more than a single item or room and were trying to dismantle a broader stash of drugs and weapons.

The city also released photos of the suspects and full arrest details after the operation. The case adds to a pattern of similar Duluth warrants that have turned up narcotics and guns in recent years. On July 11, 2024, officers served a warrant in the 1400 block of 91st Ave. W. and arrested three people without incident, seizing fentanyl, methamphetamine, heroin, cocaine and multiple firearms, including a Glock with a switch. On March 20, 2025, Duluth officers executed another warrant in the 100 block of East 3rd Street tied to controlled-substance sales.

Taken together, the cases show sustained pressure on illegal drug distribution and armed offenders in Duluth and across St. Louis County. The St. Louis County Sheriff’s Office says warrant information comes from the Sixth Judicial District Court, and its active warrant list is updated at 9 p.m. every day, seven days a week.