Woman Tries to Hide Drugs in the Backseat of a Missoula Police Car

Missoula, MT (KGVO-AM News) - On January 30, 2024, Missoula Police Department Officers were dispatched to Kohl’s for an initial report of a female versus male disturbance. An officer pulled up to the door to wait for backup when the male exited the store. Shortly after, the female, later identified as 22-year-old Nacheyla Dempsey, walked out of the store carrying a white bag. Dempsey started running and the male followed her. 

Other officers responded and saw them run across Dore Lane before going into the yard of a nearby residence. Both were stopped by law enforcement and it was confirmed that both had warrants for their arrests. Specifically, Dempsey had an active probation warrant. During a search incident to arrest on Dempsey, officers located a tin foil bag in her pocket that had several burn marks.  

Dempsey Shares Her Side of the Story 

Dempsey was asked if she took anything from Kohl’s without paying and she said the white bag was holding items from the store. Initially, Dempsey claimed that the male stated he would pay for her clothing, and the male left because she was taking too long. Dempsey described entering and exiting the store multiple times. She said she got into a verbal argument with the male about paying for the items and then he left the store. Dempsey followed him with the items in her possession without paying for them. 

Dempsey said she was not planning on stealing the items. When asked if she went back to Kohl’s to pay for the items, Dempsey said no. Dempsey gave consent to search the white bag and officers located several items with Kohl’s tags still on them. Kohl’s staff confirmed that the items were not paid for and the total worth of the merchandise was $292.96. 

Dempsey was then placed into a patrol car based on her probation warrant. While transporting the Dempsey to the Missoula County Detention Facility, the officer’s patrol vehicle’s interior camera was recording. The officer noticed odd behavior on the interior camera and reviewed the surveillance footage.  

What was Seen on the Surveillance Footage 

The officer noticed that Dempsey was moving around and digging inside her pants near her lower back. When they arrived at the jail, the officer exited the vehicle and the camera showed Dempsey putting a small pill inside her mouth and subsequently dropping it onto the floorboard. Dempsey then attempts to stomp and kick the pill.  

While the officer was grabbing items out of the trunk, Dempsey spit plastic out of her mouth and into the backseat. Dempsey was also seen throwing another item from her hands before jail staff came to take her out of the vehicle. When the jail staff unbuckled Dempsey, she took the seatbelt and made sure to place it on the seat in an apparent attempt to hide something. Before leaving the jail, the officer checked the backseat and observed a fentanyl pill on the floorboard.  

Dempsey is currently being charged with felony tampering with physical evidence, felony criminal possession of dangerous drugs, criminal possession of drug paraphernalia, and theft. This case was filed directly into Missoula District Court and her bond was set at $25,000. 

Dempsey’s criminal history shows multiple theft convictions out of Missoula’s Municipal Court. Further, Dempsey has multiple pending matters before the Honorable Robert L. Deschamps III in Montana’s Fourth Judicial District and numerous failures to appear.

The information in this article was obtained from sources that are publicly viewable.