Woman arrested after allegedly biting store employee

Kaylee Brewster, Lewiston Tribune, Idaho
·2 min read

Apr. 13—A 56-year-old woman is facing multiple charges in an incident where she allegedly stole from WinCo Foods, bit an employee and had methamphetamine in her purse.

Lewiston police responded at 2:43 p.m. Thursday to WinCo for a report of a theft with an uncooperative woman in custody.

The officer arrived and spoke with witnesses who reported that Laurissa Jefferies allegedly stole $30.63 worth of merchandise from the store.

She left the store and was confronted by the loss prevention employee and placed in handcuffs, and she allegedly bit the WinCo employee on his arm, according to the probable cause affidavit.

The employee told the officer he wanted Jefferies arrested for petit theft and battery. During a search of her purse for the stolen merchandise the officer allegedly found a bag with marijuana, a bag of suspected meth and drug paraphernalia. Jefferies allegedly admitted to having "illegal stuff" in her purse when asked by the officer to identify the items, according to the affidavit.

Jefferies was taken to the Nez Perce County Jail and charged with felony possession of a controlled substance and misdemeanor charges of possession of a controlled substance, drug paraphernalia, petit theft and battery.

At the jail it was also confirmed she had a warrant from Elmore County in southern Idaho for possession of meth and multiple misdemeanors from 2019, according to the affidavit.

In her initial appearance before Magistrate Judge Victoria Olds on Friday at the Nez Perce County Courthouse, Olds kept in place the $25,000 bond from Elmore County. The Nez Perce County Prosecutor's Office also cited an arrest warrant and failure to appear from California, according to court documents.

Jefferies' last known address was in Quincy, Calif., but she told Olds she was in the process of moving to Pullman and starting a job there. Jefferies told Olds she wanted to get her life straightened out. Olds said that she recognized that, but Jefferies just arrived in the community and is already in jail.

Olds appointed Magyar Rauch and Associates as Jefferies' public defender. Jefferies' next court date is April 22.

The maximum penalty for possession of a controlled substance is seven years incarceration and a $15,000 fine.

Brewster may be contacted at kbrewster@lmtribune.com or at (208) 848-2297.