February 1, 2022
By: Dwayne Page
The DeKalb County Sheriff’s Department nabbed a suspected drug dealer last week with the arrest of a Smithville woman in the parking lot of the Shiney Rock Market on Highway 56 south.
44-year-old Bridgette Nicole Vientos of Kendra Drive, Smithville is charged with possession of methamphetamine with intent to manufacture, sell, or deliver; sale and delivery of schedule VI drug (marijuana); and possession of drug paraphernalia. Vientos was further charged with bringing contraband into a penal institution. Her bond totals $61,500 and she will make a court appearance February 3.
Sheriff Patrick Ray said that on January 25 a detective was patrolling on McMinnville Highway when he spotted two vehicles stopped beside each other at Shiney Rock Market at closing time. From one of the vehicles a man got out on the passenger side and entered the other vehicle on the passenger side which appeared to the detective to be a possible drug transaction. When the detective pulled into the parking lot, the two occupants of the vehicle appeared to be arguing. The driver of the vehicle, Vientos, had active felony warrants against her out of Chattanooga. When confronted by the detective, Vientos admitted to having methamphetamine in the car and consented to a search. Found inside the car was a red bag which contained an estimated 1.5 ounces of methamphetamine, 1.57 grams of marijuana, a glass pipe, digital scales, a marijuana grinder, and a can of Butane fuel. Another glass pipe was retrieved from the center console and a baggie with residue was found in the car’s glove box. Found inside Vientos’ coin purse was a piece of paper believed to be a drug transaction ledger on which were written names and number amounts.
Four days later on January 29 while incarcerated at the jail Vientos was strip searched by a female correctional officer after Vientos admitted to having contraband hidden in her body cavity. During the search a clear baggie was retrieved which contained a crystal-like substance.