Matthew Marvin Felan, 34, is accused of exposing his three adolescent children to marijuana. He is charged with Class C felony child endangerment in district court in Minot. Felan is also charged with tampering with physical evidence, a Class A misdemeanor, possession of marijuana, a Class B misdemeanor, and Class B misdemeaor possession of marijuana paraphernalia.

According to a probable cause affidavit filed with the court, the Ward County Narcotics Task Force received a call from a social worker on Tuesday about drugs at Felan’s residence at 1638 35th Avenue SE. The social worker was told that Felan had three or four black bags of marijuana hidden in a red and black cabinet inside an attached garage and that he had threatened his children if they said anything about the marijuana.

Task Force Officers went to the home on Tuesday afternoon. A 12-year-old boy came to the door, yelled for his father, did not answer the door and walked back inside the residence. The officers took turns knocking on the door for 15 minutes and no one answered. They could overhear someone rummaging around in the garage, where the hidden marijuana had allegedly been located. Felan’s probation officer announced herself and Felan eventually opened the front door and was handcuffed. Officers searched the residence and found marijuana shaken around the toilet in the main bathroom, which was near the garage. Some marijuana was floating in the toilet bowl and was around the toilet seat. The officers could smell marijuana smoke coming from inside Felan’s bedroom, where the boy was playing. Also located during the search was THC infused pure massage oil, a smoking device with marijuana residue, burned rolling papers with marijuana residue and plastic baggies with marijuana residue.

Felan was given a deferred imposition of sentence in January and placed on two years of supervised probation on a Class B felony charge of delivery of marijuana.

Felan made an initial appearance in district court in Minot on Wednesday before Judge Richard Hagar. Felan told the judge that he has full custody of his three children, works two jobs and “does nothing but try to be the most outstanding citizen I can be.” He told Hagar he needs to get out of jail so he can take care of the children. Felan did say that there is Social Services involvement as of Tuesday.

Hagar followed the state recommendation and set bond at 10 percent of $5,000. He ordered Felan to report immediately to his probation officer upon his release.