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Two facing felonies after hotel arrest

KAYE THORNBRUGH | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 5 years, 1 month AGO
by KAYE THORNBRUGH
Kaye Thornbrugh is a second-generation Kootenai County resident who has been with the Coeur d’Alene Press for six years. She primarily covers Kootenai County’s government, as well as law enforcement, the legal system and North Idaho College. | November 26, 2020 1:00 AM

POST FALLS — Two people are in jail after police said they were found with drugs in a hotel room.

31-year-old Robert A. Ferra and 23-year-old Tailer A. Smith are both charged with possession of a controlled substance, a felony.

Police responded Friday night to a Post Falls hotel where parole officers had requested assistance.

In a hotel room occupied by Ferra and Smith, police allegedly found syringes and a soda can with brown residue on it, as well as scorched tinfoil.

Police also reportedly found two baggies containing a white substance, as well as pills that were later identified as prescription painkillers, according to court documents.

When questioned by police, Smith allegedly said the syringes and soda can belonged to her. She reportedly said the residue on the can was heroin.

Ferra, however, told police “everything” in the room was his, according to court documents.

Police arrested Ferra and Smith at the scene.

The white substance found in the hotel room was later confirmed to be meth, police said, and the brown substance was confirmed to be heroin.

Judge Ross Pittman on Monday ordered that Ferra be held on $40,000 bail.

Ferra was previously convicted of possession of a controlled substance, as well as grand theft and two counts of burglary, all felonies, in 2018.

Pittman also ordered that Smith be held on $25,000 bail. She is reportedly on probation out of Kootenai County for felony possession of a controlled substance, according to court documents.

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