Lincoln County woman accused of meth possession

A homeless woman with ties to known drug users in Lincoln County is facing a felony charge of methamphetamine.

Miranda Jean Keith, 35, who appeared on video from the Lincoln County Detention Center, pleaded not guilty to criminal possession of dangerous drugs and one misdemeanor count of drug paraphernalia at a preliminary hearing on Aug. 29 in Lincoln County District Court.

Keith was granted a release on her own recognizance by Judge Matt Cuffe.

Her next court hearing is set for Oct. 31.

According to the affidavit of probable cause filed by county Attorney Marcia Boris, county Sheriff Deputy Clint Heintz was on patrol shortly after midnight on April 22 when he saw a vehicle with the driver’s side headlight out as it was about to turn on to U.S. 93. As he drove past, the vehicle backed up toward a laundromat.

The vehicle did not have a front or rear license plate. Heintz wrote in his report that Keith seemed nervous and started to get back into the vehicle. When he asked for her driver’s license, she said she didn’t have one. He also asked her about the missing license plates and she said she had just bought the vehicle.

Heintz also smelled marijuana and saw two glass pipes in the vehicle, including one on the cup holder. Heintz wrote that the dash was partially made of wood and wrapped in tape while the console appeared to have been taken apart. Heintz asked Keith if she was aware of the open container marijuana law and she said she was aware of there being something, according to the court document.

Heintz reported that Keith had stayed with Vaughn Grier Rouse and Sofiah Slette in their garage apartment this winter. Both individuals have recently charged with felony crimes in Lincoln County.

Heintz reported that when he did a computer check of Keith, he learned her license was suspended, she had two warrants from Eureka City Court and one warrant from Idaho for allegedly writing bad checks. He also determined the vehicle was not insured.

Heintz impounded the vehicle and applied for a search warrant. He reported that Keith asked for her backpack that held her medication. She allegedly removed three prescription pill bottles from the pack, including one that reportedly had three hydrocodone pills. Keith also found a small butane torch.

At noon on the same day, Deputy John Hyslop and K-9 Bear checked the vehicle. Bear alerted to the odor of narcotics.

After Heintz received a search warrant, he reported finding 1.1 grams of a substance that tested presumptively for meth. He also reported finding various drug paraphernalia, according to the charging document.

The maximum sentence for a conviction of felony drug possession is five years in the Montana State Prison. A conviction for possession of drug paraphernalia could result in a six-month county jail term.