Fentanyl charges growing in area
BONNERS FERRY — The number of fentanyl possession charges is growing in the area with multiple people being held in Boundary County Jail on such cases.
On Jan. 12, on a routine parole visit at the residence of Miguel Vazques-Estrada, 26, Bonners Ferry Police Officer Brandon Johnson testified that he uncovered 22 “Mexi-pills” or fentanyl pills, burnt tin foil with burnt makes and half a melted Mexi-pill stuck to the tinfoil, according to court documents.
Vazquez was placed under arrest for possession with the intent to deliver and possession of paraphernalia with the intent to use.
In an affidavit by Johnson, Vazques-Estrada was asked if he had anything else on his person. He said that the items found in his room were the only items, Johnson said.
After a search of the house, a plastic tooter was found under the bed, on a plate of food that Vazquez had taken out of his room when officers arrived, “random shotgun shells” along with approximately seven boxes of .223 ammunition. Vazques-Estrada was then transported to the county jail.
Johnson said Vazques-Estrada told him that he was addicted to fentanyl and smoked a pill every other day. Vazquez-Estrade said that he would purchase 25 pills at a time from Spokane or Coeur d’Alene, said Johnson in his affidavit of arrest.
In the court documents, Johnson said Vazques-Estrada told him that he buys pills for $10 and sells them to friends for the same price.
Jennifer Hart, 26, who said she was Vazques-Estrada’s girlfriend had reported her car stolen on Jan. 11. When Johnson came to her residence to investigate the stolen vehicle, Hart began to divulge information on Vazquez-Estrada.
In an affidavit written by Johnson, the officer said the police department has information from concerned citizens and other law enforcement offices that the pair were involved in selling drugs in the community.
Johnson said that Hart told him about her addiction to Mexi-pills and that she has stayed with Vazques-Estrada, despite the abuse he inflicts on her and her son because he supplies her with pills.
“After talking to Hart and knowing the real dangers of smoking Mexi-pills (fentanyl) I was afraid if I left her alone in the house with the drugs she would overdose and die,” wrote Johnson.
Hart walked Johnson to the backroom where he found approximately two and a half trash bags which were approximately 90 percent full of drug paraphernalia. He also found a cup filled with white powder that tested for presumptive positive for cocaine, one chocolate edible positive for THC and two plastic tooters.
Due to the amount of fentanyl residue in the house, Johnson called for a cover unit which arrived shortly. Through Hart’s open bedroom door more paraphernalia was seen on her bed by Deputy Travis Stolley.
Hart blocked officers from entering the room, climbed on her bed and grabbed the piece of tinfoil with half a melted Mexi-pill. When he tried to take it away from her, Johnson said in court documents that she began crying and said “I need it.”
After Hart signed a consent search form, officers found two more plastic tooters, one baggie containing approximately 50 dime bags for packing pills and a ledger of drug sales with $350 in cash.
Hart told officers that she was instructed by Vazques-Estrada to sell the pills she had left. The money in the ledger reflected what she said she owed to him and that she had to do it because she could not tell Vazques-Estrada “no.” He allegedly wanted her to sell the pills so she would not have enough for herself and would get “dope sick,” Johnson said.
Hart is charged with five counts, possession with intent to deliver, possession of controlled substance (fentanyl), possession of controlled substance (cocaine), possession of controlled substance (marijuana) and paraphernalia with the intent to use.
On Jan. 25, Hart was pulled over by Johnson for driver’s window tint darkness. In his affidavit, Johnson said that he has pulled Hart over for this before.
In the vehicle, officers recovered a meth pipe with crystalline substance which tested presumptive for methamphetamines and three tooters. Hart and the two passengers were placed under arrest.
At the jail, a tooter, a bag of 14 fentanyl pills, a folded piece of tinfoil with fentanyl residue and half a Mexi-pill, and a lighter were recovered from one of the passengers, Natalie Adams.
Vazques-Estrada is charged with possession of a controlled substance with the intent to manufacture or deliver, drug paraphernalia and persistent violator. He requested a continuance and is scheduled to appear for a preliminary hearing on Feb. 18.
Hart is charged with two counts; possession of a controlled substance and drug paraphernalia with the intent to use. Hart requested to push back her preliminary hearing to Feb. 18.
Adams is charged with two counts; possession of a controlled substance and drug paraphernalia with the intent to use. Adams waived her right to a preliminary hearing and is scheduled for arraignment on Feb 23.
