SCSO discovers fentanyl during jail booking

WALLACE — Deputies came across a rare, but lethal find on Monday during a routine jail booking after Mercedes Y. Carter, 30, was arrested by the Shoshone County Sheriff's Office on an active warrant out of Kootenai County.

While Carter went through the booking process, detention deputies came across a small blue pill imprinted with the letter “M” located in her belongings. Upon further investigation, the pill was confirmed to be a “Mexi Blue”, or “Moxy” pill.

According to SCSO Cpt. Jeff Lee, Mexi Blue pills are, “counterfeit oxycodone made with a mixture of abused products. Most commonly methamphetamine and at times, Fentanyl is also added.”

While Lee said Fentanyl is not as common in the Silver Valley as methamphetamine, and definitely nowhere near as common as marijuana, it poses a far greater risk for abusers, as well as anyone else who comes into contact with the drug.

“For a Fentanyl induced pill, the risk for death is high, including the person using, touching or being close enough for a dusting of Fentanyl to touch a person,” he said.

Lee also stated that in this case, the suspect told police that the blue colored pill found in her possessions did contain Fentanyl, and therefore the suspect was charged accordingly.

“The pill will be sent to the Idaho State lab for confirmation, just as we do with all felony level narcotic investigations,” explained Lee.

According to iCourt, Carter has several past criminal offenses including theft and driving related charges. She is also currently facing charges out of Kootenai County for two misdemeanor counts of injury to a child, to which she has pleaded not guilty.