OSCEOLA – An ongoing drug investigation has led to multiple felony charges against two women at an Osceola home where several children were reportedly in easy access to methamphetamine and other drugs. Marlaina Tibbetts and Sara Schaar-Dubois, of Osceola, were charged with child neglect, maintaining a drug-trafficking place and possession of methamphetamine.

 

Members of the St. Croix Valley Drug Task Force executed the search warrant on Thursday, Feb. 13, at an Osceola home, where they found a purse with Tibbetts’ name and credit card. Contents of the purse included two bags of meth, described in the report as being “softball-sized,” along with various pieces of paraphernalia in the living room and in an adjacent studio garage. Among the items found was a digital scale containing meth residue in a laundry basket covered by children’s clothing. Also found in the room was a kit with fake urine to defeat a drug test, marijuana-smoking items and even more, smaller quantities of meth at several locations in the garage.

 

The probable cause report includes various measurements from the floor and reach distances for many of the items and drugs, pointing out how easy it was/is for a child to reach and access any of the drugs or items with meth residue.

 

In total, it was believed that the final weight of all the meth combined came to 131 grams, which is well over a quarter pound. This led Polk County prosecutors to charge Marlaina Tibbetts, 33, Osceola, with five felonies, including three charges of possession with intent to distribute, maintaining a drug-trafficking place and neglecting a child. There were also two misdemeanor child-neglect charges, as a repeater. She is also facing misdemeanor marijuana possession, drug paraphernalia possession, both as party to a crime, totaling nine charges overall.

 

Tibbetts appeared before Judge Daniel Tolan on Friday, Feb. 14, who set a $7,500 cash bond with a preliminary hearing slated for Friday, Feb. 21, where the judge will review the initial evidence and decide if there is sufficient cause to go to trial.

 

The other resident at the home was also charged with felonies. Sara Schaar-Dubois, 36, Osceola, was charged with four felonies and two misdemeanors. She is facing four felonies, including a felony count of maintaining a drug-trafficking place, possession of meth and two felony charges of child neglect, as well as a misdemeanor charge of child neglect and another for drug paraphernalia possession.