Drug bust results in several felony charges

Two hearings have been scheduled in Hot Springs Circuit Court in regard to a drug bust on Nov. 24.

Raymond L. Norcutt Jr. of Casper, who attended Hot Springs County High School in the early 2000s, is scheduled for a preliminary hearing on Dec. 21 on 11 felony charges including six counts of possession with intent to deliver methamphetamine, one count of possession of meth and four counts of possession with intent to deliver various substances including oxycodone, methadone hydrochloride, ocycodone hydrochloride and hydrocodone bitartrate.

Ellie M. Quinday is scheduled for a pre-trial conference Dec. 14 on a felony count of possession of a controlled substance.

According to court documents, a Thermopolis Police officer observed a vehicle blocking an alleyway, in violation of the town code, and attempted to enforce the code. The officer turned his patrol vehicle into the alley, facing the suspect vehicle. As the patrol vehicle drew closer, the suspect vehicle also began moving and veered into a yard to pass around the patrol vehicle.

A short pursuit followed, during which the suspect vehicle veered into an oncoming traffic lane, and the vehicle was finally stopped. The driver had no license but gave his name as Norcutt, whom the officer recalled from extensive narcotics and weapons violations relayed by various law enforcement agencies. These included a notice to be on the lookout for Norcutt trafficking meth from Casper to the Big Horn Basin and a Department of Criminal Investigation (DCI) drug bust from June of 2018 during which he was found to be in possession of 10 grams of meth.

During the stop, the officer observed Norcutt making furtive movements. Due to this and his not having a license, Norcutt was asked to exit the vehicle. As he’s exiting, Norcutt admitted to having a knife on him, which was removed.

Additional officers arrived at the scene and took control of passengers in the vehicle, one of whom was Quinday. She was found to be in possession of a scale with a powdery white substance that tested presumptive positive for meth, and she was arrested.

Norcutt also gave the officer permission to search his pockets. During that search the officer located some unused zip-top plastic bindles, which Norcutt said his son used to store coins. Also located was a set of aluminum “brass knuckles.”

In one of the pockets, the officer heard and felt items that, based on his experience, indicated they were associated with packaging of controlled substances, contraband and paraphernalia. In the pocket were found two large zip-top bindles. One of these had six smaller bindles, each of which contained meth. The other had two smaller bindles, one that had a large meth rock and one that had an assortment of pills.

Upon review of his in car video, the officer learned after Norcutt was placed in the back seat of the vehicle, he attempted to remove his handcuffs and placed his hands on inside right door handle and tried to pull it open several times.

The total weight of the meth collected was 10 grams, as each of the six small bindles contained one gram each and the rock weighed four grams.

It was also discovered Norcutt was on bond out of Natrona County pending weapons and drug charges.

Norcutt is currently jailed on a $100,000 cash bond and Quinday is jailed on a $1,000 cash bond.