CHEYENNE, Wyo. – Two men and one woman were arrested by the Wyoming Highway Patrol following a traffic stop on Highway US 85 on February 2, 2020. Each face multiple felony drug charges.
According to court papers Dennis Alcantar, born in 1980; Joshua Steele, born in 1980; and Haylee Cottier, born in 2000 made their initial appearances in Laramie County Circuit Court on February 4 to have their charges read to them.
Paperwork filed in the case says that Alcantar, Steele and Cottier were all charged with felony counts of Conspiracy to Manufacture, Deliver or Possess Cocaine, Possession with Intent to Deliver Cocaine and Possession of Cocaine.
WHP officials say that in the late morning hours of February 2, a trooper pulled a vehicle over, for a cracked windshield.
The trooper identified Alcantar as the driver of the Jeep, who reportedly had a suspended South Dakota driver’s license. Court papers say that Steele and Cottier were identified by the officer as passengers in the back of the vehicle.
An affidavit filed in the case says that troopers observed alcoholic beverages at the feet of the passengers. Law enforcement says that Cottier admitted to a portable breath test and admitted to drinking alcohol to the officer.
Court documents say a drug sniffing K9 unit was summoned to the scene and the dog reportedly alerted to the odor of controlled substances.
WHP says that a probable cause search of the vehicle revealed three plastic bags containing 87 grams of suspected cocaine.
An agent for DCI later arrived on scene to test the suspected substance. That test showed presumptive positive for the presence of cocaine. According to law enforcement reports, Alcantar and Steele both admitted to using the cocaine.
According to Wyoming state statutes, an individual convicted of all three of charges could face up to 47 years in prison and/or a fine of $60,000.
All of those cited or arrested are presumed innocent until convicted in a court of law. Charges are subject to change following official filings from the Laramie County District Attorney’s Office.
