St. Paul Park woman charged after heroin needle found in sock during arrest

A St. Paul Park woman who was found with a heroin needle in her sock during a shoplifting arrest faces a felony drug charge.

Shelby J. Cook, 27, was charged with fifth-degree drug possession following a Nov. 24 shoplifting incident at Walmart in Woodbury.

The criminal complaint filed in Washington County District Court describes the incident this way:

Police were called to Walmart after store security allegedly saw Cook and a male who was with her conceal $19 worth of merchandise in her purse and then leave the store. Cook admitted to stealing the merchandise. During her arrest, an officer found a needle in her sock that later tested positive for heroin.

Police searched the car belonging to the man who was with Cook and they found a glass pipe, syringe and vial, all of which tested positive for heroin, according to the report.

Cook said she put the needle in her sock after the man she was with found out police were being called to the store.

Cook appeared in court Dec. 20 and is scheduled to be back in Washington County District Court March 21.

The fifth-degree drug charge has a maximum penalty of five years in prison and $10,000 for a first drug conviction.

Tags: crime and courts, updates, crime