Maricopa K9 sniffs out drugs – man arrested

Police K9 Karma sniffed out narcotics hidden inside a vehicle, leading to the arrest of a Maricopa man.

A probable cause statement said Maricopa police pulled over a Chevrolet Malibu on Dec. 21 after an officer noticed the license plate registration tag was expired.

The Malibu’s driver, Joseph W. Mavis, was found to have an expired driver’s license and was driving a car owned by Marina G. Lechuga, who was in the vehicle’s passenger seat. She said she did not know the vehicle’s registration was expired.

The officer asked Lechuga if he could search the vehicle and she gave him consent. The officer searched the vehicle with drug-sniffing K9 Karma. During the search the dog lunged toward Lechuga who was drinking a cup of water.

The officer said the cup was found to contain a small baggie of 25 M30 pills, or counterfeit oxycodone, which can contain fentanyl.

The officer reported that Mavis admitted the pills were his, not Lechuga’s.

Mavis was then arrested and booked in Pinal County jail.

It is unclear in the report if Lechuga was arrested and charged. The report states she too was read her Miranda rights.