BAXTER COUNTY, AR – A Mountain Home woman arrested for non-payment of fines and probation violation faces new charges after a strip search allegedly found drugs hidden within her body.
The Baxter County Sheriff’s Office says Theresa Marie Pate, 52, has been charged with three additional felony crimes after the discovery by a jail matron.
Pate was taken to jail on Jan. 23. As part of the booking process and before being placed into the unit, she was subjected to a strip search for weapons and contraband. During the search, the matron suspected Pate to be concealing contraband within her body because she refused to satisfactorily follow instructions being given to her in the course of the search.
The matron then reported seeing a small metal object drop to the floor that Pate had been concealing. The object turned out to be a mint box with two pills inside that were determined to be morphine.
Pate was then charged additionally with Felony Possession of Schedule II Controlled Substance, Felony Furnishing Prohibited Articles and Felony Possession of Drug Paraphernalia.
Bond for these charges has not yet been set, but she continues to be held without bond on the previous probation violation hold and has a bond of $4,535 on the non-payment of fines charge.