Brendan Phelps
SALINE CO.— A former homeless Harrisburg woman, residing in Carrier Mills, was recently housed in the county jail after police say she was caught with a bit of cocaine.
Official documents show that the incident began March 8, at approximately 12:39 a.m. with officer Nick Keltner on routine patrol when he spotted a grey passenger car roll through a stop sign at the intersection of South Jackson and West Sloan streets.
Keltner stopped the vehicle at the South Commercial Huck’s gas station, and identified the driver as 34-year-old Brendan K. Phelps, of 53 South Main St., Raleigh.
As chance would have it, officer Keltner recognized the passenger with Phelps as Jeana L. Hudgins, 42, of 428 West Harrison St., Carrier Mills.
Keltner knew Hudgins to be the subject of an active arrest warrant and asked her to step out of the vehicle.
About that time city officer Nathan Moore arrived on scene.
That was also the time when Ms. Hudgins realized she had to potty and so she asked officer Keltner if she could go to the bathroom before he took her into custody on that outstanding warrant.
She handed him her purse declaring there was nothing in it.
She was ultimately placed in the rear of Moore’s police cruiser.
A search of her purse, subsequent to her arrest, revealed a black pill bottle containing a white powder that tested positive for cocaine.
Phelps was informed he was going to receive a verbal warning for disobeying a stop sign and that he was free to leave.
For whatever reason, Phelps is said to have stepped out of the vehicle, which prompted officer Keltner to ask him if he would give consent for a search of the vehicle.
Phelps gave consent and, as is routine for officer safety, was asked if he had any weapons on him.
Phelps said he had a knife and placed it on the roof of his car.
When asked if he had any knives in his pockets, Phelps said he did not and began emptying his pockets and in the process of doing so pulled out napkins, loose change and a wooden cannabis stash box.
Phelps said he came into possession of the box when his girlfriend (it is unclear if it is the alleged cocaine-toting Ms. Hudgins) handed him the cannabis stash box as they left a local residence.
As he was being taken into custody, lawmen found in one of Phelps’ pockets a small green baggy that tested positive for methamphetamine.
Hudgins’ criminal history includes a conviction June 28, 2010 of Retail Theft for which she was sentenced to 12 days in jail, probation for 12 months and ordered to pay $1,075 in fines and fees.
At the time of her arrest, Hudgins was serving a probation sentence of 24 months after she was convicted of Theft February 8, 2017.
In addition to the probation she was ordered to pay $3,233.61 in fines and fees, of which she still owes $2,233.61.
Currently she has at least one pending case in Saline County including a January 24 charge in which she is accused of Theft.
Brendan Phelps, brother of State Rep. Brandon Phelps, was taken into custody and charged with Unlawful Possession of Methamphetamine and Unlawful Possession of Drug Paraphernalia.
Phelps’ wife Brittney was granted a divorce from him February 10, 2017.
Ms. Hudgins was formally charged with Unlawful Possession of a Controlled Substance.
No bond information was available in Phelps’ case.
Cash bond in the case of Ms. Hudgins, on the other hand, was set at $1,000.