A Florida woman was recently arrested after multiple syringes and fentanyl were discovered “inside her person,” according to Sunshine State police.
Jessica Reno, 34, is accused of numerous crimes, including smuggling a controlled substance and possessing fentanyl, according to Flagler County Sheriff’s Office records.
However, the underlying incident was completely unrelated to drugs.
In reality, quite the opposite is true.
Reno was pulled over on June 15 for a mismatched license plate – allegedly assigned to a Ford car but affixed to the defendant’s Chevrolet pick-up truck – and the “driver’s side seat belt dangling near the door,” according to the charging affidavit filed in the case.
According to the court document, a deputy wrote that such a seatbelt is “consistent with the driver not properly wearing” their seatbelt, prompting a traffic stop.
However, the deputy claims Reno appeared to be taking her time.
“Upon activating my emergency lights and sirens, the vehicle tapped on its breaks several times, but it continued to proceed without stopping for approximately 30 seconds, despite having several safe, lit, areas to pull over,” according to the testimony. “When I spoke with the driver, she explained that she was on the phone with her daughter, which is why she did not pull over right away.
I then asked if the female was the registered owner of the vehicle, and she said yes. While attempting to obtain the operator’s driver’s license, she stated that she does not have one and has an upcoming court date for her driver’s license suspension.
According to the sheriff’s office, the traffic stop “confirmed” that Reno was driving with a lapsed registration and no insurance, as well as that the license plate was on the wrong vehicle. When asked about her seatbelt, the defendant allegedly apologized for being “in a rush.”
Reno allegedly admitted after being Mirandized that she was aware of her suspended license and had an upcoming court date due to a previous driving conviction. According to the affidavit, she also claimed to have used a friend’s license plate after her own “blew off” her truck “approximately” six days before the traffic stop.
Then came the drug aspect of the case.
“Upon placing Jessica under arrest for the above-noted criminal charges, a female deputy was requested to perform a Search Incident to Arrest,” the form states. “During that time, it was explained to Jessica that if she had any other contraband on or inside her person, she would face additional criminal charges if it was located at the Inmate Facility, Jessica stated that she did not.”
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So Reno was booked into the local jail.
This is allegedly when and where the drugs were discovered.
“[T]he booking deputies discovered a black sock tucked into the area of Jessica’s vaginal cavity,” according to the arrest warrant. “Deputies found six (6) capped syringes and a bag of a white powdery substance inside the black sock.” When asked about the substance, Jessica revealed that it was Fentanyl.”
The affidavit explains in great detail:
The substance field tested presumptive positive as Fentanyl by utilizing my agency-issued “Mobile Detect Fentanyl Field Test Kit” and “Mobile Detect Multi Drug Test”. The substance weighed approximately 3 grams (total packaged weight) (2 grams unpackaged weight).
I then conducted a follow-up interview with Jessica after she was booked into the inmate facility. Jessica initially stated that she “forgot” the items were on her person; However, she later stated that she was afraid to say anything because she did not want to get “sick.” At this time, Jessica admitted that the substance was Fentanyl, and she purchased it today.
Reno was ultimately booked on multiple drug- and driving-related counts; she posted $11,500 bond on Thursday.
