Moorcroft resident guilty on possession charges

Taren White of Moorcroft has been found guilty in Circuit Court on two misdemeanor counts of possession. White was one of two people facing felony charges after police responded to a report of credit card fraud and discovered marijuana and methamphetamine at their residence.

Moorcroft Police Department responded to a local address on November 7 to follow up on an alert of credit card fraud. An officer recognized White as the suspect in the case.

The officer reported a strong odor of burnt marijuana and that two children were present in the home.

White allegedly denied she was using and claimed there were no illicit substances in the residence.

When told the officer had probable cause to perform a search, court reports state that White claimed her boyfriend, Jeffrey Oliver, was in the back room and that was where the marijuana was.

A second officer was called to the scene and the first officer entered the residence to locate and remove Oliver from the scene. As he reached the master bedroom, the officer reported hearing what sounded like a plastic bag being moved around. Oliver allegedly claimed he was going to the restroom.

When the second officer arrived, a search was performed. In the master bedroom, a freshly lit marijuana cigarette was located next to the bed; inside the closet, the officer allegedly found a clear case containing a pipe and suspected marijuana seeds as well as several other pipes with residue.

In the bathroom, officers allegedly found a bag of suspected marijuana, a grinder containing suspected marijuana and cigar cones also suspected to have marijuana inside. Multiple needles were also located.

A silver case on the counter was found to contain a small bag of suspected meth, a silver spoon with a cotton swab and residue and more needles. Oliver gave consent for a search of the entire house and further items were located, including what appeared to be a homemade bong.

Both suspects were arrested and the children placed in the custody of relatives. A urinalysis at the jail allegedly tested presumptive positive for meth and marijuana.

White was initially charged with one felony count of storing, ingesting or possessing meth in the vicinity of a child, two misdemeanor charges of possession and one misdemeanor count of unlawful use of a credit card in an amount less than $1000.

The felony count having been dismissed by the prosecution, White was found guilty of one misdemeanor count of possession of a controlled substance in plant form and one misdemeanor county of possession of a controlled substance in powder or crystal form. White was placed on probation for one year and given fines of $300 for each count.

Oliver has been bound over to District Court but has not yet been tried or sentenced in this case.