Caught with contraband

On Dec. 21, Diana Schaack of New Rockford and Deborah Fleetwood of Carrington were caught by law enforcement allegedly attempting to smuggle suboxone into the N.D. State Penitentiary in Bismarck.

According to court documents, Deputy Jonathan Hirchert of the Stutsman County Narcotics Task Force was notified of a plot to smuggle a controlled substance into the State Penitentiary, to be received by inmate Kyle Maez-Schaack.

According to court documents, "The information was that Kyle Maez-Schaack was going to have Deborah Fleetwood deliver Diana Schaack some type of controlled substance. Then Diana Schaack was to deliver the controlled substance to an employee with the North Dakota State Penitentiary who would smuggle it into the facility."

Upon further investigation, officers discovered that Schaack and Fleetwood would be meeting in Medina, N.D., approximately 30 minutes west of Jamestown on I-94, at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 21.

Law enforcement subsequently conducted surveillance at Medina on Dec. 21, where they caught the alleged transfer of narcotics between the two women.

"Deputy Hirchert observed the red dodge charger registered to Deborah Fleetwood arrive at the gas station in Medina," say court documents. "At approximately 6:44 p.m. Deputy Hirchert observed a silver SUV that was registered to Jerome Schaack arrive at the gas station and pull up to the driver's side of Deborah Fleetwood's vehicle.

"Deputy Hirchert observed the driver of Deborah's vehicle hand something to the driver of Jerome's vehicle. The package was rather large and appeared to be in a large gift bag."

Traffic stops on both vehicles were initiated on I-94 soon after the drop off, and during a "consent search," a container with 80 suboxone pills was found inside a shoe

in the gift basket officers saw handed between the vehicles.

Suboxone is a schedule 3 controlled substance, and is often used to decrease the severity of withdrawal symptoms for individuals addicted to opioids, and can help reduce a person's dependence on opioids long term when used correctly.

Officers also located a bag containing approximately 3 grams of a "crystal substance" inside Schaack's purse, and upon questioning, Schaack admitted her involvement in the scheme.

"Diana Schaack admitted to officers that Deborah Fleetwood gave her the pills and that she had planned to deliver them to an unknown individual in Bismarck, N.D.," allege court documents. "Diana Schaack stated that Deborah Fleetwood was supposed to give Diana a phone number to call when she got to Bismarck. Diana was to call the number and arrange to meet with the unknown individual."

When officers questioned Fleetwood, she was allegedly somewhat less forthcoming about the scheme, at first contending that she had nothing to do with the delivery of suboxone.

However, authorities say Fleetwood eventually admitted to picking up the pills and delivering them to Schaack. Also, a text message from her to Schaack was seen during a consent search of Schaack's cell phone, which stated, "they are in the shoe."

Jerome Schaack, who was in the vehicle with Diana when the exchange took place, was not arrested. Also not arrested was Keisha Patnaude, Fleetwood's adult daughter who was in Fleetwood's vehicle at the time of the exchange.

Both Fleetwood and Schaack were arrested and charged with prohibited acts A/controlled substances, a Class B felony. Schaack was also charged with possession of a controlled substance, a Class A misdemeanor.

Bond for both women was set at $2,000 cash, and both were released after posting bond in that amount.

Their preliminary hearing/arraignment is scheduled for Wednesday, Jan. 11 at 9 a.m. at the Stutsman County Courthouse. Both are considered innocent unless proven guilty.

Deputy Jonathan Hirchert told the Transcript on Wednesday that there is still an active investigation ongoing regarding the case.