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Valarie Lopez jailed on drug charge

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A Mentmore female remained jailed June 20 after being taken into custody on bringing contraband into a jail facility charges, officials said. Valerie Lopez remains behind bars and without bond on a separate charge from Cibola County, officials said.

Lopez, 27, appeared before 11th judicial Court Judge Lyndy Bennett June 12 for an arraignment after being arrested in Gallup on May 5 for a probation violation charge.

A trial date has been set for Nov. 28 after Lopez pleaded not guilty in front of Bennett for the contraband charge. The disposition of the Cibola County no bond charge was not immediately available.

Lopez was jailed in early May on the probation violation. But when she was being booked she forgot to tell jailers about a plastic baggie that she had on her person, according to jail paperwork. Lopez told guards at one point about the plastic bag, “You can just throw it away.”

The plastic baggie contained a unspecified amount of methamphetamine, according to jail booking papers.

By Bernie Dotson

Sun Correspondent