Pubdate: Thu, 02 Jul 1998
Source: Indianapolis Star News
Contact:  http://www.starnews.com
Author: Michele McNeil Indianapolis Star/News

EARLY TRAFFIC STOP LEADS TO DRUG ARREST

Drug-sniffing dogs help to discover bags of marijuana and opium in truck.

GREENWOOD, Ind. -- An Indianapolis woman who told police she was too busy
to remove drugs from a duffel bag has landed in jail on three drug-related
charges.

Nicole Marie Backes, 20, is charged with possession of marijuana over 30
grams, possession of a narcotic drug and reckless possession of
paraphernalia.

She was released Thursday morning from the Johnson County Jail after
posting a $12,000 bond.

Johnson County Sheriff's Sgt. Randy Werden and drug-sniffing dog Champ, his
K-9 partner, discovered more than 120 grams of marijuana, about 9 grams of
opium and other drug paraphernalia after making a traffic stop just before
1 a.m. Thursday.

Werden spotted Backes standing in a heavily weeded ditch on the south side
of Stones Crossing Road, across from the main office of Oak Meadows Trailer
Park near Ind. 37.

Once Backes saw the officer, she piled into the passenger side of a truck,
police reports said.

Werden wrote in his report that he looked in the truck and noticed three
occupants looking nervous. The driver, Lloyd Pierce, said Backes needed to
use the restroom, so she went into the ditch.

After searching the vehicle for weapons and finding none, Werden had Champ
sniff for illegal drugs. The dog found two drug-filled bags.

Backes admitted to owning both bags, reports said.

"She was just hoping Champ would not find it, but knew when she saw him sit
down at her backpack that she was in deep trouble," Werden wrote in his
report.

A red nylon duffel bag contained a glass smoking pipe with residue and a
plastic bag containing a hard, reddish rocky substance, which Backes
identified as opium, according to police.

At this point, Backes was placed under arrest.

A search of her backpack yielded a bag with 123 grams of marijuana; a tin
box containing another bag of marijuana weighing 3.5 grams; a bag of opium
weighing 8.5 grams; four packs of rolling papers; and a set of hand scales.

The driver and other male passenger denied knowledge of the drugs.

"Ms. Backes stated she has been very busy lately and had just forgot to
take the drugs out of her book bag before leaving her house," Werden wrote
in his report. "She also stated she never thought she would get caught, but
had told herself if she ever did get caught, she would quit doing drugs."

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