By Shavonne Walker

shavonne.walker@salisburypost.com

SALISBURY — A woman faces methamphetamine charges after she tried to remove her ankle monitor, Rowan County investigators said.

Candis Sells Trexler, 37, was charged with felony possession of a controlled substance with intent to manufacture a Schedule II substance; maintaining a dwelling for the sale of controlled substances; possession of marijuana; and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Rowan County Sheriff’s Office deputies were contacted by the local probation office on Saturday after receiving an alert that someone tried to tamper with an electronic ankle monitor at Affordable Suites, 1305 Julian Road.

The probation officer adjusted the monitor that morning but received another alert later the same day.

Authorities returned to the hotel and searched the room. Officers found a small bag of what they believed to be meth and a small amount of marijuana.

A K-9 unit was called to search the room, but because someone had smoked marijuana in the room earlier, it was difficult for the dog to pinpoint where the drugs were located.

Officers searched a bathroom cabinet and found 14 grams of a rock-like substance that tested positive for meth. They also found 1 gram of marijuana in a glass jar, a digital scale, a burnt spoon and four cellphones as well as 22-caliber ammunition but no weapon.

The room was registered to Jeffrey Usher, who was not there.

A hotel employee told investigators that a car outside belonged to Usher, but someone else was in the car. The woman tried to drive away as officers approached her on foot, then stopped the vehicle.

Investigators determined that Usher had instructed a woman who was in a nearby church parking lot to retrieve his money from the room when law officers left.

When asked where the money was, the woman said she did not know. She gave them consent to search the vehicle. Investigators found nothing illegal in the car, but they did find a number of empty cellphone boxes. Investigators talked to Usher by phone and he denied knowing anything about the drugs in the hotel room.

Trexler remains in the Rowan County Detention Center under no bond. She’s under a temporary hold for violating probation.

Trexler has a number of previous convictions on charges including misdemeanor larceny, felony possession of a Schedule I controlled substance, felony possession of a Schedule II substance, felony embezzlement, and misdemeanor breaking and entering.