by Andrew Maciejewski – amaciejewski@h-ponline.com
A 23-year-old woman who police say used a bandana, sunglasses and fake name around 1 a.m. Thursday to avoid identification now faces multiple felony charges, according to court records.
Alexis Marie Smith, 23, of Huntington was arraigned yesterday for charges of dealing meth, possession of meth, unlawful possession of a syringe, false informing and possession of paraphernalia, according to a probable cause affidavit.
Police say they seized 137 hypodermic syringes, a large quantity of small plastic baggies, 33 Mucinex tablets, a digital scale, a battery, cotton swabs, multiple cell phones and more than a gram of meth from a bag reportedly in the possession of Smith, according to police reports. Huntington Police Department officer Darius Hillman said those items are commonly used for the distribution, manufacturing and use of methamphetamine, citing law enforcement training and experience.
On March 14 around 1:15 a.m., officers initiated a traffic stop for a vehicle driving “well left of center of the roadway” eastbound on Riverside Drive, just east of Park Boulevard. Police say Smith pretended to be asleep, using a “fake raspy child’s voice” to disguise herself since she had an active warrant for her arrest.
“When she finally removed her facemask, officers were able to recognize her as Alexis Smith,” Hillman wrote. “Alexis was very clearly ‘tweaking,’ intoxicated on some sort of stimulant such as methamphetamine. She was unable to stand still, had rapid (and) confused speech and pupils which did not react naturally to light.”
During a search of the vehicle, police also found a wallet inside of the bag next to Smith, containing notes that “appeared to be a ledger detailing amounts of money owed,” along with notes containing Smith’s signature, according to police reports.
In interviews with Smith, police say the handwriting on the pieces of paper matched and that Smith confirmed that she wrote notes containing poetry found in the wallet. Smith denied owning the bag or wallet, according to police reports.
Police say Smith changed her story about where she got the bag from. She also reportedly told police she sold the wallet to one of the friends who she originally claimed owned the bag.
Though she denied owning the bag, officer Hillman said she told him she would never carry a bag full of needles, but Hillman allegedly never told her that he found the needles in the bag.
One of the passengers in the vehicle, Trae A. Heister, claimed he was dating Smith and said she passed him a syringe found in his pocket because she was afraid she would be arrested, according to police reports. Police say they also found a hydrocodone pill, MDMA and meth in Smith’s pocket.
Heister was arrested and charged with possession of methamphetamine, possession of a syringe, possession of a legend drug and possession of paraphernalia, according to police reports.
Smith’s bond is set at $15,000 bailbondsman, plus $1,500 cash.