Libby woman accused of drug offenses

A Libby woman accused of methamphetamine possession in Lincoln County recently pleaded not guilty.

Stephanie Laurel Varner, 36, entered her plea on Oct. 17 in district court to one felony count of possession of dangerous drugs and one misdemeanor count of criminal possession of drug paraphernalia.

Varner appeared on video from the county jail at the time, but she was released on her own recognizance on Oct. 18 after county Deputy Attorney Jeffrey Zwang didn’t oppose a motion by Varner’s public defender, Keenan Gallagher. District Judge Matt Cuffe then granted the motion. Her next court hearing is scheduled for Dec. 19.

According to the charging document filed on Oct. 3 by county Deputy Attorney Jeffrey Zwang, Libby City Police Officer Cody DeWitt wrote in his report that he was called to the Lucky Logger Casino at Town Pump at about 11:56 p.m. on March 30 after employees there asked for a walk through by law enforcement. DeWitt recognized Varner and a man named Jeffrey Adamson sitting at a table. DeWitt wrote that both people are known drug users.

The casino employee told DeWitt that he believed Varner and Adamson were dealing drugs in front of the casino. The employee said that both made frequent trips outside the casino and had brief interactions with others. The employee believed their behavior was suspicious and consistent with drug deals. DeWitt wrote that the location was known to be a high crime area and to be frequently used by drug dealers.

DeWitt wrote that on Feb. 24, he took a report from a person who was concerned for the welfare of Varner’s juvenile child. The person said a large part of her concern was that Varner was dating Adamson and both were using methamphetamine. The woman said Varner would drop her child off with her and often left him there for several days while she was on long sprees of drug use. The case was reported to and investigated by Child Protective Services.

Then, at about 11:40 p.m. on April 7, DeWitt did a random walk through of the Mint Bar. According to the officer's report, the bartender thanked the officer and told him that people such as Adamson had been in the bar and casino recently and were acting suspiciously. DeWitt asked the bartender what made her suspicious of Adamson and she said she believed he was dealing drugs while in the bar. The bartender said Adamson had multiple visitors in the casino and she didn’t recognize them as normal customers.

The bartender told DeWitt that the visitors would sit next to Adamson and either pretend to play the machines or play a small amount of money. She said Adamson made short trips to the bathroom with the people before he returned to the casino and the visitors left. The bartender also told DeWitt that Adamson arrived either on foot or in an older orange Ford Escape.

DeWitt said he later discussed the information with Lincoln County Sheriff’s deputies James Derryberry and Derek Breiland and he learned from them that Adamson was frequently associating with Jon Brooks, a person characterized by the officers as a known drug user.

DeWitt learned that Brooks drove an orange Ford Escape. Derryberry reported that he had pulled over a Ford Escape on March 26. The vehicle was driven by Brooks and two other people, Jamie Abrahamson and Christine Quinn, were passengers. Derryberry told DeWitt that Abrahamson and Quinn were known drug users. After he got a warrant, Derryberry reported finding drugs and paraphernalia in the car.

Abrahamson and Quinn were charged with drug-related offenses earlier this year in another incident on March 26.

Then, on April 15, DeWitt spoke to county Sheriff’s Office Detective Brandon Holzer about his suspicions that Adamson was using and dealing illegal drugs in the casinos in town. DeWitt wrote in his report that he learned the Northwest Drug Taskforce has information that Adamson has a history of using and dealing in illegal drugs and that he is currently suspected of these activities.

DeWitt also learned that Lincoln County Sheriff Darren Short had received a complaint from the VFW that Adamson was suspected of selling drugs at the location. Short told DeWitt that he had been at the VFW earlier in April for a snowmobile club meeting when Adamson came into the club with a guitar case and went to the bathroom. Short said Adamson was in the bathroom for about 20 minutes and he thought that was odd so he went to investigate and Adamson was in the handicap stall and remained there while Short checked the bathroom area.

Short then spoke to the VFW Commander Kenny Rayome, who then went into the bathroom. Rayome said Adamson was still in the handicap stall. After Rayome left the bathroom, Adamson quickly left, too, according to DeWitt's report. Rayome told Short that Adamson had been acting suspiciously around the VFW regularly. Rayome said Adamson would come into the bar, not buy anything, make brief contacts with people in the bar, use the bathroom and leave. DeWitt told Short he was looking into the situation.

DeWitt then reported being dispatched to the Mint Bar at about 7:21 p.m. on April 17. A bartender said Adamson was acting suspiciously. When DeWitt arrived he saw Adamson and Varner on the bench in front of the bar. DeWitt said he was told that Adamson had went into the bathroom. DeWitt said he saw Johnathan Orr, recognized him from previous law enforcement contacts and knew him to be a user of dangerous drugs, according to the charging document.

DeWitt then waited outside the bathroom to speak with Adamson. He also said county Sheriff Deputy Derek Breiland told him that Varner had entered the bar. DeWitt said he spoke to Varner and told her to wait outside with Deputy Breiland. When Adamson left the bathroom, DeWitt told him he believed he was selling dangerous drugs and that he had received multiple reports of such behavior. DeWitt wrote that Adamson denied the activity.

When DeWitt asked to search Adamson and his bag, Varner said the bag belonged to her. DeWitt told them he was going to have a K-9 come to sniff the bag and they decided to leave the area, according to his report. While waiting on the K-9, a man who was in the bathroom said he heard another man dropping things into the toilet and flushing them.

Then, DeWitt reported, the K-9 alerted to the backpack. DeWitt got a search warrant for the backpack at about 1:50 a.m. on April 18. He found Varner’s Montana driver’s license and other items with Varner’s name on it. DeWitt also reported finding a crystal-like substance and nine capped syringes. The officer said he field tested the substance and it came back presumptive for meth.