Destinee Prater

WARSAW — An officer discovered heroin and syringes in the hotel room of a Claypool woman whom he had just arrested on a warrant in Marshall County

Destinee Nicole Prater, 20, 9464 South SR 13, Claypool, is being charged with count I possession of a narcotic drug, a level 6 felony, and count II possession of syringe, a level 6 felony.

According to the affidavit of probable cause, on Nov. 16, an officer with the Warsaw Police Department spoke with a Fort Wayne Police Department detective. The Fort Wayne detective was looking for Prater, who had an active warrant in Marshall County. The detective believed Prater to be in a hotel room in Kosciusko County.

According to the affidavit of probable cause, the Warsaw officer checked several hotels in Kosciusko County. The officer was checking with hotel management at a Super 8 when he observed Prater and spoke with her. The officer noticed fresh syringe marks from injecting on her right arm. The officer told Prater of the Marshall County warrant and obtained consent to search her hotel room.

According to the affidavit of probable cause, Prater told the officer there were drugs and syringes in a bag under the chair cushion in her hotel room. The officer removed a purple zipper bag containing three syringes, several pieces of foil and plastic baggies with residue. One of the pieces of foil contained a brownish powdery substance that field tested positive for heroin.

While the officer dealt with Prater, she continually attempted to use her cell phone. When the officer asked for consent to search her cell phone, she refused, stating there was too much “incriminating stuff” on her phone. The officer took possession of the cell phone.

Prater was booked in the Kosciusko County Jail Nov. 16, on a bond of $5,250 surety and cash.