4 nabbed in meth den bust

A police search for a wanted woman ended in her arrest Saturday— alongside three other people hiding with her in a makeshift meth den. 

Maricopa Police Department arrested Angel Bustos, 41; Elisia Ugalde, 37; Lacie Marquez, 29; and Mercedes M. Stephens, 41, during the search, according to a probable cause statement obtained by InMaricopa. 

Cops arrived at a home on North Condrey Avenue in the Maricopa Manor neighborhood around 4 p.m. during a search for Marquez, who they said had three felony probation violation warrants out of Pinal County Superior Court. 

The homeowners gave officers permission to search the home and said Marquez was not allowed on their property. They said no one should be in their backyard. 

But during their search, officers found Marquez, Bustos, Ugalde and Stephens hiding in a small “hovel” in the backyard. Marquez allegedly tried to flee out of the side of the makeshift structure but was apprehended and handcuffed. 

Officers found a baggie of methamphetamine, smoking pipes with meth residue and a postcard addressed to Marquez inside the hovel. She allegedly admitted to a meth addiction and owning one of the several pipes found. 

Cops said they found a backpack next to Bustos containing meth. He denied ownership of the bag and drugs, but Stephens and Ugalde both pointed the finger at him. Officers also reported finding a meth pipe in both Stephens’ and Ugalde’s handbags. 

Bustos was booked into the Pinal County jail on two felony counts of possessing dangerous drugs and paraphernalia. He was also slapped with an outstanding post-adjudication warrant. He faces more than 11 years in prison. 

Marquez was booked on two felony counts of possessing dangerous drugs and paraphernalia. She was slapped with one misdemeanor charge of resisting arrest and served her three outstanding warrants for probation violation. She faces 11 and a half years in prison. 

Ugalde was booked into jail on one felony count of possessing drug paraphernalia. She faces three years behind bars. 

Stephens was booked on one felony count of possessing drug paraphernalia and one misdemeanor count of false reporting. She faces three and a half years in prison. 

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