In a routine traffic stop gone unexpectedly major, a Sonoma County Sheriff's deputy unearthed approximately 10 pounds of methamphetamine hidden within boxes of dog treats and a cat litter box. The discovery occurred on Tuesday morning near Lakeville Highway and Baywood Drive in Petaluma.
The deputy initially pulled over the vehicle for a regular check and quickly found that the driver, identified as 41-year-old Angelina Gutierrez, was wanted on a misdemeanor arrest warrant from Mendocino County. Upon being informed of a meth pipe inside the car, the canine partner was brought in to thoroughly sniff out any contraband. The K-9 rapidly alerted its handler to potential narcotics hidden cleverly in the seemingly innocuous boxes.
According to a Facebook post by the Sonoma Sheriff's Office, once the deputy searched the vehicle, they indeed found methamphetamine cunningly stashed inside the dog treat boxes. Further investigation revealed more of the drug concealed within a cat litter box, bringing the total find to ten one-pound packages of methamphetamine.
Gutierrez was booked into the Sonoma County Jail on charges of felony transportation of a controlled substance, along with her outstanding misdemeanor warrant. Despite the serious nature of the crime, Gutierrez's bail was set at $0, and she was later released from custody. The cache of drugs, however, underscores a persistent battle law enforcement must continue to fight against the trafficking and distribution of controlled substances.
