CORRECTION: Initial coverage of this story reported that Tourance exited the residence with a second individual. Tourance, the owner of the residence, exited the building alone.
ITHACA, N.Y. – An Ithaca woman was arrested on Tuesday on multiple charges related to the possession and sale of heroin and fentanyl.
Jasmine K. Tourance, 31, has been charged with second-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, third-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, and fourth-degree criminal possession of a weapon.
Court documents state police entered Tourance’s home on Plain Street at approximately 2 p.m. on Tuesday afternoon. Members of the Ithaca Police Department and the Tompkins County Sheriff’s office reported to the residence on a search warrant released by Judge Scott Miller earlier that morning.
According to reports, Tourance attempted to exit the building along with the owner of the above apartment. Police say the two were detained a short distance from the residence.
While searching the apartment, police say they found several clear knotted plastic wraps and bags containing a tan or white powdery substance while other bags contained a brown clump substance. Four bags containing the substances tested positive for fentanyl or heroin. The four bags combined added up to nearly 138 grams. Additional baggies containing heroin were found in a dresser drawer, according to court documents.
Police say they also recovered several items which indicated the heroin and fentanyl found in Tourance’s apartment were intended to be sold. In addition to the packaged heroin, records state that multiple digital scales, an electric coffee grinder, hundreds of plastic baggies, discarded plastic wraps and records of narcotics sales were also recovered at the scene.
Upon searching the defendant, police say they found 22 individually wrapped bags in her jacket pockets along with $440 dollars in cash and metal brass knuckles.
“The sheer quantity of the suspected heroin, packaged in 22 individually wrapped plastic baggies, in addition to the amount of currency located on the defendant’s person, is evidence of the illegal sale of heroin on the streets by the defendant,” police stated in a report.
Police say Tourance did not cooperate with officers and obtained a lawyer immediately after her arrest. At this time, the case is still under investigation and police are continuing to gather evidence.