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Man charged with felonies after casino arrest

KAYE THORNBRUGH | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 5 years, 11 months 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 29, 2020 1:00 AM

WORLEY — A man is facing two felonies after police said he planned to taste and then use the contents of a syringe he found in a bathroom.

Washington resident Jeffrey J. Gilbert, 28, is charged with two counts of possession of a controlled substance, both felonies.

Police responded Tuesday around 9:30 p.m. to an alleged drug offense at the Coeur d’Alene Casino.

Security footage reportedly showed a plastic baggie fall from the pocket of a man who was later identified as Gilbert. The baggie was brought to lost and found.

Inside the baggie were two capped syringes, one of which contained a brown liquid that casino personnel believed to be an illegal drug, according to court documents. Casino security contacted law enforcement.

While walking to lost and found after reviewing the surveillance footage, police said they passed Gilbert, who they recognized from the video.

Police detained Gilbert in handcuffs.

Gilbert told police he had used meth that morning, according to court documents. He allegedly said he found the baggie in a bathroom and kept it because he wanted to taste the liquid in the syringe to find out what it was. He then allegedly planned to use the substance.

The liquid was determined to be meth, police said.

Police allegedly found a plastic bag containing a “brown flake” in Gilbert’s pocket, as well as a bag containing a white powder residue, according to court documents. The brown substance was reportedly determined to be heroin.

Police arrested Gilbert at the scene.

Judge Robert Caldwell ordered that Gilbert be held on $50,000 bail.

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