Former Libby woman accused of drug offenses

A former Libby woman is facing drug charges after an incident at a local motel earlier this summer.

Ashleigh Lynne Nelson, 39, of Henderson, Nevada, is facing two felony counts of possession of dangerous drugs. She appeared in Lincoln County District Court on July 31 and pleaded not guilty.

Nelson, who lists her profession as self-employed, posted $25,000 bail on July 1. Her next court hearing is set for Oct. 10.

According to the supplemental narrative by county Sheriff’s Office Deputy James Derryberry, he heard that Libby Police Sgt. Ron Buckner investigated a case of drugs being left behind in a motel room earlier on June 29.

When the officers spoke, Buckner said he was called to the Country Inn because a housekeeper found a substance inside one of the rooms that was left by the last tenants of the room. Buckner said he entered the room and saw a crystal substance on a table next to the bed. After a field test of the substance, Bucker determined it was methamphetamine.

Buckner learned that Nelson was the last tenant of the room. He also got a description of a rental car from Hertz. It was a gray Genesis with California plates. Buckner also learned Nelson was associating with a man named Rudolph Dill. Both had active warrants.

Later in the day of June 29, Derryberry saw Nelson and Dill walking out of the Sandman Hotel main office. He arrested both on their warrants.

After both people were taken to the county jail, Derryberry returned to the motel where Montana Highway Patrol Trooper Virgil Sadewasser had stayed with the car. Derryberry asked for a K-9 to come and Deputy John Hyslop arrived. K-9 Bear alerted to the odor of dangerous drugs.

Later, Sgt. John Davis told Derryberry during the process of changing clothes at the jail, Nelson allegedly handed a detention officer a baggie that contained a white crystal substance that tested positive for meth. It weighed 13.6 grams.

Detective Brandon Holzer then got a search warrant for Nelson’s rental car. Officers found several Alprazolam pills, which is a controlled substance.

A conviction for felony drug possession could result in a 5-year sentence in the Montana State Prison.