Cowley County pair arrested Sept. 6 in connection with drug possession

Juan Martinez also accused of scratching off identification marks on a firearm

ARKANSAS CITY, Kan. (Sept. 7, 2021) — The Arkansas City Police Department arrested two Cowley County residents on Labor Day in connection with multiple counts of possession of various drugs.

Bailey Naomi Rivers, 24, of rural Cambridge, was arrested on suspicion of one felony count of unlawful possession of a controlled substance (methamphetamine), as well as one misdemeanor count each of possession of drug paraphernalia and possession of marijuana.

She also was arrested on six outstanding Cowley County District Court warrants for misdemeanor failure to appear.

Rivers was transported to and booked into the Cowley County Jail in Winfield in lieu of $16,500 bond through Cowley County District Court in Arkansas City. She remained in custody at the time of this release.

Juan Miguel Martinez, 19, of Arkansas City, was arrested on suspicion of one felony count each of defacing identification marks on a firearm and possession of methamphetamine.

He also was arrested on suspicion of one misdemeanor count each of possession of drug paraphernalia and possession of marijuana.

Martinez was transported to and booked into the county jail in lieu of $7,000 bond through Arkansas City district court. He since has posted bond and been released.

 Officers were notified about 3:11 a.m. Sept. 6 that Rivers, whom they knew to have active warrants for her arrest, was a passenger in a vehicle at Casey’s General Store, located at 1425 N. Summit St.

Police arriving at the scene observed illegal drug paraphernalia in plain view. They contacted Rivers and later arrested her without incident.

The driver of the vehicle, later identified as Martinez, also was contacted and placed into custody.

Officers noticed a bag of marijuana in the pocket of the driver’s side door.

A search of the vehicle located additional items of drug paraphernalia, marijuana and methamphetamine, as well as a loaded handgun with its serial number scratched off on the driver’s seat.

A defendant’s guilt or innocence is to be determined by a court of law.