Children in home with drugs, gun, police say

By TAMARA LUSH

© St. Petersburg Times, published March 23, 2000

HOLIDAY -- A 22-year-old woman was arrested Tuesday after she sold $60 worth of cocaine to an undercover Pasco County sheriff's deputy, and officers later found crack cocaine at her home within reach of two small children, authorities said.

Angela Leonarda Rios, of 4840 Rosedale Lane, was charged with possession of cocaine and sale of cocaine within 1,000 feet of a church. The transaction happened 508 feet away from the Holiday United Church of Christ, deputies said.

Rios also was charged with possession of cocaine with intent to distribute within 1,000 feet of a church and contributing to the delinquency or dependency of a child, a misdemeanor.

An undercover deputy went to Rios' home and asked to buy cocaine, a report said. Rios gave the officer 0.7 grams of of cocaine in exchange for $60, the deputy wrote.

Deputies also obtained a search warrant for Rios' house and found 6.5 grams (nearly a quarter-ounce) of crack cocaine in the home, a report said.

Rios was held in the county jail in Land O'Lakes in lieu of $123,000 bail.

Deputies found crack, razor blades and 40 pills in a chest of drawers that was accessible to a 6-year-old and a 9-month-old. An unloaded .38-caliber revolver was found under Rios' mattress.

Rios' housemate, David Noah Wetherington, 20, also was arrested and charged with possession of crack cocaine and contributing to the delinquency or dependency of a child, authorities said. Wetherington told officials that he took the gun from a crack dealer who was selling drugs out of the house.

Wetherington was held at the county jail in lieu of $18,000 bail.

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