Well-being check lands woman in jail
A police officer’s attempt to check the well-being of a person parked near Lacy Park resulted in a felony drug charge against a Waren woman.
Stephanie N. Neubauer, 33, was charged Sunday by Warren police officers with felony manufacture, delivery or possession with intent to manufacture or deliver as well as two counts of misdemeanor intentional possession of a contraband substance by a person not registered and three misdemeanor counts of use or possession of drug paraphernalia after a Warren police officer responded to Lacy Park at 9 a.m. March 4 for a report of a woman “slumped over” in her vehicle.
The officer said in the Affidavit of Probable Cause that he told Neubauer he was making contact with her to check her well-being, noting in the affidavit that the woman was fidgeting and adjusting her clothing around the pocket in front of her hooded sweatshirt.
“While speaking with the defendant she was inconsistent with her stories and answering questions while displaying nervous behaviors,” the affidavit states. “I requested consent to search the defendant’s person where she did permit the officer to do so. She gave verbal consent and raised her hands. I located a clear and green in color methamphetamine pipe with residue.”
Neubauer didn’t consent to an immediate search of the vehicle, which was then impounded. On March 6 a search warrant was signed by Judge Raymond Zydonik. A search of Neubauer’s vehicle allegedly resulted in the seizure of multiple loose, unpackaged small white baggies police say are used to store controlled substances, loose tinfoil, a clear glass methamphetamine pipe with white chunk residue, a flip-open pocket mirror with white powder residue, a screwdriver with burnt residue, a digital scale with white powdery residue, three bundles with 26 individually packaged clear plastic baggies containing what police suspect is methamphetamine and fentanyl, six baggies of what is suspected to be methamphetamine and fentanyl, one of which was stored in tinfoil, and a clear plastic baggie containing what police suspect to be methamphetamine.
Police also seized $61 that had been folded into different amounts and located in the same wristlet next to the packaged controlled substances.
“The defendant was in possession of a total of 33 various types of baggies containing suspected methamphetamine and fentanyl,” the affidavit states. “The items found in the vehicle are consistent with more than the user amount of controlled substances and indicative of a person who is in possession of controlled substances with the intent to distribute these substances.”
Preliminary arraignment was held Sunday in front of Magisterial District Judge Todd Woodin, who set bail at $250,000. Neubauer was unable to post bail and was taken to the Warren County Prison.