Sedona AZ (October 15, 2015) – On October 14, 2015, at approximately 7:00 in the morning, a Yavapai County Sheriff’s Office K9 deputy stopped a black Chrysler 300 sedan for a traffic violation on east Arizona Interstate 40 near Ash Fork. The vehicle was driven by Adrian Jaramillo, 19, with passengers Angel Retana, 22, and Carlos Villalobos, 22. All three carried State of Texas identification.
During contact with Jaramillo to discuss the traffic violation, the deputy smelled an odor of marijuana along with the odor of several air fresheners all coming from inside the vehicle. The deputy detected signs of deception and nervousness while talking with Jaramillo who also could not fully identify his passengers. Additionally, the front seat passenger gave the deputy a false name. It was later determined Carlos Villalobos, his true name, had an outstanding Texas warrant for possession of marijuana.
Jaramillo denied the deputy’s request to check the vehicle for the source of the marijuana odor. As a result, the deputy deployed his certified K9 for an exterior sniff around the vehicle. When checking the trunk area, his K9 partner alerted, indicating the odor of drugs coming from that part of the vehicle. Inside the car’s trunk, deputies found five luggage bags containing packages of marijuana weighing in total 39 pounds. Retana and Villalobos admitted knowledge of the marijuana while Jaramillo refused to answer questions. The trio was apparently heading from California to Texas to deliver this load.
Marijuana confiscated during a Yavapai County Sheriff’s Office arrest
All three suspects were booked at the Camp Verde Detention Center on charges including Possession of Marijuana, Possession of Marijuana for Sale, and Transportation of Marijuana for Sale. Villalobos was additionally charged with False Reporting to Law Enforcement. Jaramillo and Retana remain in custody, each on a $55,000 bond. Villalobos remains in custody on a $70,000 bond.
In a second incident, on October 7, 2015, around 5:30 in the morning, a YCSO K9 deputy stopped a white 2001 Mitsubishi Montero for speeding on east I-40 near Ash Fork. The driver was identified as Alejandro Nava, 23, from California. His girlfriend, 23, and their baby were riding in the car with him. The deputy noted Nava was unusually nervous and during the conversation, the deputy developed information indicating the likelihood drugs were being transported in the vehicle. Nava consented to search of the vehicle. Just before the search began, an assisting deputy detected the odor of marijuana coming from the vehicle interior.
During an examination of the interior, a K9 deputy noticed that plastic trim on the rear passenger side was loose. When the trim was pulled away, a vacuum sealed bag of marijuana was found. Additional searching revealed packaged marijuana in the spare tire space and behind trim at the rear of the vehicle. A more detailed search was completed at the YCSO evidence facility resulting in the total seizure of more than 20 pounds of marijuana; additional marijuana was located behind driver’s door and back door panels.
Nava’s girlfriend and baby were eventually released. Nava later admitted knowledge of the hidden marijuana, but denied being involved in drug sales. He was booked at the Camp Verde Detention Center on charges including Transportation of Marijuana for Sale, Possess Marijuana for Sale and Possession of Marijuana and has since been released on a $30,000 bond.
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