MITCHELL – A Mitchell woman was arrested on charges of obstructed justice and assisting a criminal.
According to a probable cause affidavit, on January 12, 2023,
On January 12th, Senior Trooper Richard R. Klun utilizing a multitude of investigative techniques received information that 31-year-old Justin Scott Lacey was at a residence at 2349 VFW Road. The home is owned by 67-year-old Velma Hall.
Lacey was wanted on four warrants including auto theft, fraud, theft, and driving while his driver’s license was suspended.
The trooper spoke to Hall and she invited officers into the home to speak to her. When police entered they could smell the odor of raw marijuana.
Hall told police Justin Lacey was not in the home. She then denied officers permission to search the home. The trooper told Hall he would request a warrant to search the home and if they found Lacey, Hall would be charged with obstruction of justice and assisting a criminal.
A search warrant was secured, and the trooper again asked Hall if Lacey was inside the home. She began to say that “if he was in the house, she did not know about it”.
Lacey was located in a back bedroom hiding underneath’s Hall’s bed and he was detained.
Police say Hall made an overt attempt to prevent and hinder law enforcement from locating and affecting the arrest of Justin Lacey.
“Hall deliberately withheld information and made false statements to law enforcement officers conducting an official investigation in an attempt to mislead the police officers and prevent Justin Lacey from being discovered and arrested,” said Trooper Klun.
Hall told police she had been at work all day and that if Lacey was in her residence, she was unaware of his presence, but police say that was not true.
