Police: Couple found with drugs stored inches from toddler, preschool children booked into Davis County Jail

Amber Elizabeth Stinson and Jeffrey Don Winn. Photos: Davis County

BOUNTIFUL, Utah, April 9, 2019 (Gephardt Daily) — A Bountiful couple was booked into the Davis County Jail on Monday afternoon on felony charges related to controlled substances and endangerment of their children.

Jeffrey Don Winn, 41, and Amber Elizabeth Stinson, 35, were arrested after Bountiful Police officers saw them arguing outside a van in a McDonald’s parking lot.

An officer smelled the strong scent of marijuana, and observed a glass jar with residue at the bottom.

“I asked Jeffrey to let me inspect it and he said no,” says a probable cause statement filed in the case. “I asked him if it (the bottle) contained marijuana and he said maybe.”

Winn said the vehicle was not his, so the officer spoke to Stinson, who said she owns the van, but denied the presence of marijuana despite the odor.

“At this time, Jeffrey shouted that it was his,” the probable cause statement says. “Amber said neither she nor Jeffrey had a prescription or doctors recommendation for marijuana use.”

Officers then searched the vehicle, and saw that the couples daughter, 2, and son, 4, were in carseats in the middle row.

Near the children, officers found a substance they identified as marijuana, a pill identified as identified it as Xanax, and a baggie with a tar-like substance identified as heroin. They also found a glass pipe and a grinder.

“Finally, on the floor of the vehicle just inches away from the 2 year old’s feet, was another plastic baggie that contained a substance appearing to be heroin,” the statement says.

“After a Miranda warning, Jeffrey identified all of the property as his, and identified the tar substance as heroin. After a Miranda warning was given to Amber, she admitted to smoking marijuana, and knew of the presence of marijuana and paraphernalia in the vehicle. Amber also told me she knew the heroin was in the vehicle.”

Winn has multiple convictions for controlled substance violations, the statement says, which increased his charges of possession of marijuana, Xanax and heroin to third-degree felonies.

“The marijuana grinder and pipe was on the center console, and had been covered by papers, but was less than 2 feet away from the children,” the police statement says. “They were in the immediate presence of the controlled substances and were able to perceive their existence, as well as odor.”

Stinson was booked on suspicion of:

  • Endangerment of a child, a third-degree felony
  • Possession of a controlled substance, schedule 1 or 2, a class A misdemeanor
  • Possession of a controlled substances, schedule 3,4, 5, a class A misdemeanor
  • possession of a controlled substance, marijuana or spice, a class B misdemeanor
  • Use or possession of drug paraphernalia, a class B misdemeanor

Winn was booked on suspicion of:

  • Two counts of possession of a controlled substance, schedule 1 or 2, a third-degree felony
  • Possession of a controlled substance, marijuana or spice, a third-degree felony
  • Endangerment of a child, a third-degree felony
  • Use or possession of drug paraphernalia, a class B misdemeanor

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here