Kurt R. Clark was released from prison in Stillwater sometime Monday, and by 1 p.m. he was arrested in downtown St. Paul for alleged possession of cocaine — still wearing his prison uniform.

Clark, 31, of Maplewood, was fresh off a year in prison when Metro Transit police found him and six other men huddled together near the Smith Avenue Transit Center in downtown St. Paul.

According to the complaint filed Wednesday in Ramsey County district court: Transit officers on bicycles approached the group about 1 p.m., suspecting them of drug activity. One man appeared to be smoking crack. Clark told the officers he had just been released from prison.

"Clark said if the police hadn't arrived he would have smoked with the other man," the complaint said.

One of the men told officers Clark provided the drugs. Clark was arrested and transported to the Ramsey County jail, where he allegedly removed his left sock and left it in the squad car.

"I left you a present," the criminal complaint quotes him as saying to the officers.

The officers asked him what the present was.

"The stuff you guys were looking for," Clark said, according to the complaint.

Three white baggies of powdery substance were recovered. Field tests of two baggies tested positive for cocaine, the complaint said.

Clark has a long criminal history that includes convictions for domestic abuse and terroristic threats. He was in prison for violating an order for protection and was supposed to be on supervised release through late November.

Clark faces one count of fifth-degree drug possession.

Chao Xiong • 612-270-4708

Twitter: @ChaoStrib