Cottonwood AZ (April 24, 2020) – On April 16, 2020, just after midnight, detectives from the Partner’s Against Narcotics Trafficking, P.A.N.T., task force, assisted in a drug investigation stemming from a traffic stop conducted by a YCSO deputy on HWY 260, Camp Verde. The investigation resulted in the arrest of 3 suspects. Driver Steven Lee Carns, 51, who was charged with three counts of Possession of a Narcotic Drug for sale, Possession of a Dangerous Drug for sale, Possession of Marijuana, and five counts of Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. Carns has been released pending court action. Mayvi Garcia, 24, was charged three counts of Possession of Narcotic drugs for sale, Possession of Dangerous drugs for sale, Possession of Marijuana, Five counts of Possession of drug paraphernalia, and a felony probation violation warrant out of Yavapai County Superior Court. She remains in-custody. Rose Rodriguez, 30, was charged with Possession of Narcotic drugs for sale, Possession of a Narcotic drug, and two counts of Possession of Drug paraphernalia. She has been released pending court action. All suspects are from Cottonwood.
Late in the evening on April 15, 2020, a YCSO deputy stopped a 2002 white Cadillac DeVille containing the 3 suspects for a moving violation on Highway 260 in Camp Verde. PANT detectives, who already were investigating leads indicating Carns was dealing drugs, arrived to assist. A K9 officer from the Cottonwood Police Department deployed his K9 partner and received an alert to a narcotics odor from the vehicle.
A search of the vehicle was conducted to locate the source of the odor and detectives found 16 Fentanyl pills inside a zippered wallet in the front passenger area, 22 Fentanyl pills inside a zippered pouch in the rear passenger area along with oxycodone and amphetamine pills. Additionally, nearly 3 grams of marijuana was seized along with a smoke tube containing Fentanyl residue.
Garcia and Rodriguez essentially denied knowledge/involvement in drug sales with Carns declining to answer any questions. Detectives did find several 20-dollar bills in Carns’ shirt pocket which is a common denomination of currency utilized in drug sales. Garica’s cell phone had evidence of drug sales by way of text messages.
PANT will continue its efforts to work with partnering law enforcement agencies to remove this poison and those dealing the poison from our community.