84-year-old woman with oxygen tank busted for dealing drugs
May 24, 2013
An 84-year-old woman in Albuquerque has been arrested on charges of conspiracy to commit drug trafficking, tampering with evidence and possession of drugs.
Court documents obtained by KRQE on Thursday showed that Lillie Smith, who uses a oxygen tank, was not arrested in 2011 when her son was busted for dealing drugs. As Blount County Sheriff's Office deputies were severing a warrant on her son, Nathan Jones, officers said that they observed Smith trying to stash marijuana and cocaine, but her medical condition prevented an arrest at that time.
"It's definitely not something you see everyday," Sergeant Aaron Williamson told the station. "There were scales, money, narcotics things of that nature that we generally find with drug trafficking."
But neighbors insisted to KRQE that Smith had only allowed her son to deal drugs out of the apartment where they both lived because she needed someone to take care of her.
The district attorney's office didn't buy that excuse and eventually obtained a grand jury indictment in February. Smith was arrested in April and was released on bond. The next court date was scheduled for July.
Smith also has a prior conviction for drug trafficking in the 1990s.
Watch this video from KRQE, broadcast May 24, 2013.
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