Suspect tries to hide meth on baby

By Jon Johnson, Staff Writer

Police pulled over a white Ford pickup for a routine traffic stop late Monday night and found more than eight grams of crystal methamphetamine hidden on a baby.

According to police reports, Joseph Bejarano of Tucson was driving westbound on Highway 70 with his girlfriend, Julie Ann Rodriguez, who was holding her infant daughter on her lap.

Officer Hershel Medlin noticed that the license plate light was burnt out and initiated a traffic stop.

The driver could not produce any paperwork for the vehicle or any for himself. Officer Medlin informed the suspects that he was not going to ticket them but they needed to place the baby in the car seat in the back.

According to officer Medlin, the driver started to act nervous as officers noticed damage to the truck’s steering column. He asked Rodriguez to exit the vehicle, and officer Medlin noticed Rodriguez attempt to hide something between the baby and the baby’s blanket.

Officer Medlin asked Rodriguez what she was hiding, and she replied that it was a tampon. When Rodriguez was informed her baby would be searched, she voluntarily gave officer Medlin a meth pipe and a clear plastic baggie containing more than 8 grams of meth.

Rodriguez claimed Bejarano gave the drugs to her to hide as they were being pulled over. She told officers he had just gotten out of prison Dec. 1 and that she was scared.

Officers attempted to handcuff Bejarano, who struggled with them and had to be taken to the ground.

Bejarano admitted the pipe and drugs were his.

He stated he was going to sell them in Safford because he was just released from prison and he needed the money.

Bejarano’s mother, Carmen Escobedo, was called to the scene. Officers placed the baby seat in Escobedo’s vehicle, and she left with the infant.

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

Rodriguez was booked into the Graham County Jail on charges of possession of a dangerous drug, possession of drug paraphernalia and using a minor in a drug offense.