Lapwai woman charged with meth trafficking

A Lapwai woman is charged with felony methamphetamine trafficking after a traffic stop and a search of her vehicle yielded 40.1 grams of the drug, according to court records.

Lisa J. Flynn, 52, was arraigned Wednesday by video in Nez Perce Magistrate Court on the felony charge and on misdemeanor charges for possession of drug paraphernalia and resisting arrest. Judge Karin Seubert set a $10,000 bond in the case.

Idaho State Trooper Dmitriy Lutsyk pulled over Flynn, who was driving a red Honda Civic. Lutsyk said Flynn was nervous, and she gave a “deceptive answer” when he asked if there were any drugs in the vehicle. State police K-9 trooper Braeden Hammon arrived, and the drug-detecting dog Boston alerted to the odor of narcotics in the vehicle, court records said.

Flynn “became agitated and argumentative” when she was asked to step out of the vehicle as it was being searched. She refused to leave her vehicle and was forcefully removed and placed under arrest. A pouch inside Flynn’s purse contained a small digital scale with white powder residue, three empty bags and a bag containing a white, crystalline substance suspected to be methamphetamine, according to court records.

Flynn complained she was injured and was taken to St. Joseph Regional Medical Center, where she was cleared to go to the Nez Perce County Jail. The bag and crystalline substance weighed 40.1 grams, or about 1.41 ounces. The substance tested presumptive positive for methamphetamine, court records said.

The maximum penalty in Idaho for felony trafficking in methamphetamine is life in prison and a $100,000 fine. The charge also carries a minimum sentence in Idaho. If convicted, Flynn would face at least a three-year prison sentence and at least a $10,000 fine.

The maximum penalties for misdemeanor possession of drug paraphernalia and misdemeanor resisting arrests in Idaho are one year in jail and a $1,000 fine.

Seubert set a preliminary hearing in the case for Oct. 7.