Davis Couple Charged with Drug Crimes, Child Endangerment

By Veronica Miller

WOODLAND, CA – A couple was bound over for trial here in Yolo County Superior Court Tuesday, charged with selling drugs out of their Davis apartment while the woman’s three children lived there.

Morgan Huffman and Saul Carmona are being charged with three counts of child abuse and endangerment and one count of possession of a narcotic.

Carmona is also being charged with an additional count of transport to sell a narcotic controlled substance, one count of possession of a controlled substance, and possession of a controlled substance for sale.

These charges were made after the Davis police were called to handle a disturbance caused by Huffman and another man living in the apartment. During this call the officer was able to talk with other people living in the apartment, including Huffman’s three children.

The children, said the officer, told him about being put into a closet by Carmona during a drug deal. In their time in the closet the children discovered jars of what they said were filled with a “green and brown leafy substance.” This was later found to be marijuana.

The children, through a witness testimony, were found playing with a silicone ball that was later found to be able to be opened—inside were drugs stored by the couple.

Further evidence was found through text messages found on Huffman’s phone, narrating events in which she and Carmona discussed the prices of the drugs and places in which they were going to sell or to pick up.

Deputy Public Defender Richard Van Zandt and Private Attorney James Granucci argued that the way in which the text messages that lead to the search were found conflicts with California eavesdropping laws.

These texts were found through another person who lives at the apartment when the phone was open. After having taken pictures of the texts it was sent to the police which led to them being searched.

Judge Timothy L. Fall struck this motion down and continued on with the charges at hand.

After the events that occurred that night, according to different testimony and the texts messages sent to them, police obtained a search warrant for the apartment of Huffman and Carmona.

When searching through the home officers said they found 12 grams of tar heroin, 16 grams of mushrooms, 2 jars of pipes typically used for methamphetamine, and 31 Percocet pills that also contain fentanyl.

In the house they also found baggies, electric scales, projectiles and $3,100 in cash. Based on what he found, Detective Michael Moore made the inference that this was being used for selling.