Contributed Photo/Courtesy GCSO: Aaliyah Palacio, left, and Leticia Palacio were both booked into the Graham County Adult Detention Facility on charges of possession of a dangerous drug and possession of drug paraphernalia.
One defendant also suspect of motor vehicle theft
By Jon Johnson
SAFFORD – Sisters Aaliyah Kristine Palacio, 24, of Solomon, and Leticia Palacio, 21, of Solomon, were both arrested and booked into the Graham County Adult Detention Facility on Wednesday, Sept. 11, on charges of possession of a dangerous drug (methamphetamine) and possession of drug paraphernalia after the drugs and paraphernalia were discovered during a traffic stop.
Aaliyah was also booked on a warrant issued July 15 out of Gila Valley Consolidated Court (GVCC) for failure to appear regarding a shoplifting charge and on a probation violation warrant issued Aug. 6 out of Maricopa County Superior Court. Maricopa County also filed to revoke Aaliyah’s probation. Aaliyah appeared in GVCC on Tuesday and plead guilty to the shoplifting charge.
Aaliyah is also a suspect regarding the August theft of a 2013 Mazda after the owner allowed his girlfriend to borrow it. The girlfriend said she allowed Aaliyah to use it, but she never came back with the car and it was suspected that she used the vehicle to drive to Tucson to procure methamphetamine. The vehicle was later recovered in Tucson after it had been involved in a crash, but the suspects fled the scene and were not apprehended.
On Wednesday, an officer reportedly witnessed Aaliyah riding in the front seat of a car as it exited the Safford Inn and headed eastbound on U.S. Highway 70. The officer was aware of Aaliyah’s warrant status and also advised that he witnessed a small juvenile riding on the lap of a rear-seat passenger unrestrained.
The officer made a traffic stop and the driver initially advised that the front-seat passenger was Leticia. Aaliyah also initially said her name was Leticia, but the ruse didn’t fool the officer, especially since he had prior dealings with Aaliyah, had booking pictures with her obvious facial tattoos clearly visible, and Leticia was the rear-seat passenger with the child.
Aaliyah eventually copped to her real identity and also admitted that a red zipper bag found near where she had been sitting was hers. Inside the bag, the officer located four used syringes, a silver spoon with apparent drug residue, and a clear baggie with a usable amount of meth.
A full search of the vehicle yielded a scale and a usable amount of meth found in a piece of paper, both of which were located near where Leticia was sitting. Leticia allegedly admitted the objects were hers and while being taken to jail also said she had more meth hidden in her bra. Correction officers retrieved the contraband from under Leticia’s left breast and turned it over to the Safford Police officer.
The child’s grandfather brought a car seat to the scene, and the child and the driver were released, according to the police report.
