Indiana Officers Find Cocaine In Bra Strap

Officer.com

Laporte -- A Walkerton woman is charged with felonies after police found alleged cocaine in her bra.

Stacy Strawderman of Walkerton appeared Friday in LaPorte Circuit Court on allegations of selling the drug.

Strawderman, 21, of the 8000 block of North Bush Street, Walkerton, was charged with two counts of Class B felony dealing cocaine.

The potential sentence on each count is 6 to 20 years.

Wednesday night, Strawderman was observed by LaPorte County Police turning into the Junction City truck stop on U.S. 20 near Rolling Prairie.

She failed to use her turn signal, police said, and was approached by the officer.

During a computer records check, an outstanding warrant for her arrest on the two counts of dealing cocaine turned up.

Strawderman was then informed she was under arrest.

When asked if she was carrying any weapons, police said, Strawderman told the officer "I have cocaine in my right bra."

She then said, "I have a few rocks (of cocaine) in the front pocket of my purse," according to police.

Police said the officer carefully tugged on the woman's right underarm bra strap and a baggie of the alleged cocaine fell out. All totaled, the cocaine recovered from the woman weighed more than 3 grams, police said.

Under the charges she faced in court Friday, it's alleged Strawderman was caught selling $40 in cocaine from a residence in the 1300 block of Federal Avenue in LaPorte.

According to court documents, the transactions occurred in mid-November, less than a week apart.

On both occasions, Strawderman handed the buyer cocaine that she had just pulled out of her shirt, police said.

When questioned, police said Strawderman revealed she obtains cocaine from Gary and South Bend.

Strawderman was given a Sept. 11 trial date.

She was then returned to the LaPorte County Jail and held on $2,500 cash bond.

By Stan Maddux