| Nicole Lyn Gneiting appealed her conviction for possession of major contraband within a correctional facility under Idaho Code section 18-2510(3). Police responded to a call to a potential burglary at an Idaho Falls motel. They eventually questioned Gneiting, who said she was not staying there, but visiting a friend who was. Officers found a "hard bulgy object" on Gneiting's upper thigh after a pat down search. The object turned out to be a flashlight. A search of the motel room netted a purse containing marijuana, Xanax and Adderall pills. Gneiting was ultimately placed under arrest and taken to the station. When asked whether she had anything illegal on her person, and after given warnings that if she took anything illegal into the jail, she Gneiting would receive an additional charge. Police suspected Gneiting was still carrying something underneath her clothes; she was strip searched and police found a white paper envelope between Gneiting's legs. The envelope was later determined to contain three small plastic bags totaling over 30 grams of methamphetamine. Gneiting was convicted by a jury after a four-day trial on drug possession charges. On appeal, Gneiting argued the State failed to present sufficient evidence to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that she knowingly possessed contraband within a correctional facility because she did not enter the county jail voluntarily. Finding no reversible error, the Idaho Supreme Court affirmed Gneiting's conviction. |
