Trending
ELKINS -- An Elkins woman is behind bars after social media videos allegedly showing juveniles drinking alcohol and using drugs were reported to the Elkins City Police.
According to a criminal complaint filed in Randolph County Magistrate Court, Sarah Ruth Lehman, 47, of Elkins is being charged with felony possession with intent to deliver after a walk-in complaint led the Elkins Police Department to a residence where they found marijuana, a marijuana "grow room" and multiple pills.
Lehman is being held in the Tygart Valley Regional Jail on a $50,000 cash-only bond set by Randolph County Magistrate Tracy M. Harper.
According to the complaint, on April 22, Elkins Police Department Patrolman First Class D.E. George and Corporal K.A. Shiflett received a walk-in complaint in regard to an underage party at a Bruce Street residence. The individual reported to officers they observed Snapchat videos of a juvenile, who was on a home visit from the Mountain School, along with other youth that appeared to be drinking and smoking marijuana.
The complaint states at approximately 10:44 p.m., officers with the Elkins Police Department, along with deputies from the Randolph County Sheriff's Office and troopers with the West Virginia State Police, responded to the residence to conduct a welfare check.
"Officers knocked on the door to which they received no response," the complaint states. "Officers observed a female through the curtains inside the residence moving around in the living room. Officers also observed a grinder commonly used for marijuana on the coffee table."
According to the complaint, officers knocked and rang the doorbell again and Lehman opened the door.
"As Lehman opened the door, officers detected the odor of marijuana emitting from inside the residence," the complaint states. "Officers asked Lehman if marijuana was being smoked in the residence, to which she stated 'yes.' Officers then advised Lehman they were coming inside the residence to check on the welfare of the juveniles in the residence."
According to the complaint, officers made contact with three juveniles in a bedroom of the house and all three appeared to be under the influence. Officers administered a preliminary breath test to all three which showed a measurable amount of alcohol in each juvenile.
"Lehman and all three juveniles advised officers they had been smoking marijuana and drinking alcohol," the complaint states. "While conducting a search for persons inside the residence, officers observed multiple paraphernalia items in plain sight in the living room and throughout the residence."
The complaint states officers asked Lehman if there was anything else in the residence and she responded "yes" and advised officers of a jar of marijuana, and bags and paraphernalia in a drawer under the coffee table.
"Officers located a black and yellow tote in the master bedroom closet which contained" $4,443 in cash, the complaint states. "Officers also located multiple pills in individual bags inside the master bedroom dress drawer."
According to the complaint, officers also located a set of scales and grow lights in the master bedroom. Officers continued to check the residence for the juvenile in the video posted on social media.
"Officers checked the crawl space under the residence and observed marijuana grow lights and marijuana plants in bags," the complaint states. "There were also grow rooms partitioned off with the grow lights hanging."
According to the complaint, officers contacted the juveniles' parents to take custody of them and Lehman's daughter was released to a responsible adult. Lehman was arrested and transported to EPD for processing and then to the Tygart Valley Regional Jail for booking. Officers determined the pills found in the residence were controlled substances.