A Colorado man who is facing several felony charges related to drugs had his case bound over to the Box Butte County District Court, where he is scheduled to make his first appearance later this month.
Roy Elliot-Casaus, of Trinidad, Colo., is facing a total of five felony charges relating to an incident in July of 2021. According to the Affidavit for Arrest, two troopers with the Nebraska State Patrol were on duty near the intersection of Highway 2 and Highway 71 in Box Butte County when they saw a vehicle parked on the side of the road. The troopers conducted a motorist assist.
While making contact with the driver and the passengers of the vehicle, the trooper noticed the smell of marijuana coming from the vehicle. The driver was asked to step out of the vehicle, and she complied with the request. The troopers then conducted a probable cause search of the vehicle. During the search, they located 5.326 pounds of suspected methamphetamine, seven ounces of dispensary packaged marijuana, a loaded 9mm handgun, two unknown green pills that were suspected to be fentanyl, a glass pipe with suspected methamphetamine residue, a plastic straw with a crystalline residue inside and a small glass container with an unknown grey substance.
“The Taurus handgun was located inside a small Nike bag, which was inside of a backpack in the back seat,” the Affidavit said. “All meth was located inside of a locked container in the trunk. The remaining contraband was located throughout the cabin of the vehicle.”
The driver and the two passengers were arrested at the scene. Roy Elliot-Casaus, who was one of the passengers, was charged with possession of methamphetamine 140+ grams, with intent to distribute, a class 1B felony, possession of a firearm while committing a felony, a class 2 felony, possession of a controlled substance, methamphetamine, a class 4 felony, possession of a controlled substance, fentanyl, a class 4 felony, no drug tax stamp, a class 4 felony, possession of marijuana, over one ounce to one pound, a class 3 misdemeanor, and possession of drug paraphernalia, an infraction.
The driver of the vehicle, Taliah Hildebrand, of Hot Springs, S.D., was found guilty of possession of marijuana, over one ounce to one pound, a class 3 misdemeanor, and possession of drug paraphernalia, an infraction, and was sentenced to serve 10 days in jail, with credit for 68 days served, and fined $100.