Police witness drug sale, arrest Safford woman

By Greg Jones, staff writer

Officers with the Southeastern Arizona Narcotics Task Force arrested a Safford woman Thursday night after they reportedly witnessed her selling drugs and found a small quantity of crystal methamphetamines concealed in a soft cast on her foot.

Nicole Ruby Bright, 33, was arrested April 21 at 9:20 p.m. at Thunderbird Mobile Park with four grams of meth after officers allegedly witnessed her make a sale at a residence they had under surveillance, according to Graham County Undersheriff Dave Boyd, a spokesperson for the task force.

"They had a place under surveillance, and she came in and made a sale," Boyd said. "Then they stopped her and found more drugs in her possession, along with $1,234 in cash."

Boyd said Bright had four grams of crystal methamphetamines in her possession at the time of her arrest. The drugs were reportedly concealed in a support brace, or soft cast, around Bright's ankle.

Bright was booked into the Graham County Jail on charges of sale of a dangerous drug, transportation of a dangerous drug for sale, possession of a dangerous drug and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Bright was held on a $40,000 bond, which she posted April 22.

Though the quantity of drugs Bright reportedly possessed is below the state threshold for determining possession for sale, Boyd said because the alleged sale was witnessed by officers she was also booked on charges of possession of a dangerous drug for sale.

Boyd said Bright was the subject of an ongoing investigation and has had previous run-ins with the law.

"We've sent her to prison at least one other time," he said. "We've got files on her under four different names."

Boyd said other names used by Bright include: Nicole Bruney, Nicole Hess and Nicole Ruby Holl.

According to the court information posted on the Arizona Supreme Court Web site, Bright was convicted of possession of a dangerous drug for sale under the name Nicole Ruby Holl in October 1999.